I am not sure if you are aware of it but our Board of Directors approved a program over the summer to spray the Mangroves with a safe chemical that would help control the No See Ums population. As most of you know, we had great success over the summer when these pests are really annoying especially with high humidity and no wind. As a direct result of the spraying, we were all actually able to be outside in the afternoon without the annoyance of No See Ums. However, in October and November, the spraying did not make a big difference with the No See Um population. But we do know that this time of year and early spring are when the No See Um population is out of control and it’s no surprise that the current dose didn’t have a major impact. Instead of increasing the number of sprays per week and / or increasing the dosage within the safe limits, the Board instead felt it necessary to cancel the program. When questioned specifically, the President of the Board indicated that he did not want to spend the resident’s money on a program that he didn’t feel was effective. No alternatives were provided. Please note that the Board members that voted down the program were not here in the summer months when we were all enjoying the freedom from these pests. Naturally, my family and I and all of my neighbors on the south side of the community were very disappointed that this successful program was discontinued. We were spraying on the average of two to three times per week depending on weather, wind, etc… The costs associated with the spraying averages out at about $500 per home per year which is $42 per month. If we decide to increase the number of sprays and or the dosage, that cost could potentially go up but it would not be significant. You cannot argue with results. The initial test over the summer proved successful and obviously we may need to make some adjustments to accommodate the autumn and spring time periods. However, even in the unlikely event we are not able to solve the issue in autumn and spring, I still think getting relief the rest of the year is a good thing and the spray program is certainly cost effective. Just ask anyone that was outside during the summer months.

Links