Mosquito Control Safety | Fact Sheet

How do I know that what Mosquito Hero uses to control mosquitoes are safe?

Pesticides are highly regulated products in Canada. All pesticides used, sold, or imported into Canada, are stringently regulated by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). The federal legislative authority for the regulation of pesticides in Canada is the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA). Before a product for use is registered, the PCPA requires the federal government to use a science-based approach to determine that the pesticide does not pose an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment. In addition, it must be demonstrated that the product has value. The use of pesticides is also subject to regulation under provincial/ territorial legislation and by municipalities.

Also, infants and children have been given special consideration in pesticide risk assessments for many years. The PMRA has established policies that require additional protection for children and pregnant women and also take into account pesticide exposure from all sources, including food and water.

What is Mosquito Hero using and how does it work?

The active ingredient used in mosquito control applications is Pyrethroids. Pyrethroids are a class of insecticides designed to mimic the control action of naturally occurring botanical insecticides called Pyrethrins. Pyrethroids are the most widely used group of insecticides essential to the pest management industry for controlling dangerous and damaging pests like termites, bed bugs, stinging insects, cockroaches, mosquitoes, and ticks. Pyrethroids have a tremendous benefit to society by preserving our food supply and protecting public health. They are also an important tool in helping to prevent the spread of West Nile virus and other diseases carried by mosquitoes.

Pyrethroids kill adult mosquitoes by direct contact. The active ingredient interferes with the normal functioning of the mosquito’s nervous system, leading to paralysis and death. It also acts as a deterrent to keep mosquitoes from returning to the area for up to 30 days.

Pyrethroids are found in many commercial products used to control insects, including household insecticides, pet sprays, and shampoos. Some pyrethroids are also used as lice treatments applied directly to the head and as mosquito repellents that can be applied to clothes. In fact, the exact same rates that are used for mosquito control are used as medicine to treat head lice in children and adults.

Safe for People and the Environment

Pyrethroid use patterns have a comparatively low mammalian toxicity making them well suited for outdoor uses. When used outdoors in accordance with label instructions, pyrethroids pose no threat. They are also non-toxic to birds, aquatic plants, mollusks, and amphibians. When used in either outdoor or indoor structural use patterns, pyrethroids also pose no health risks to applicators when used in accordance with label instructions.

We do ask to keep pets indoors during spraying and after for about 30 minutes, to reduce exposure. Pets that remain outdoors could be exposed to small amounts of pyrethroids but would not be expected to experience adverse health effects from spraying.

Does spraying pyrethroids have an effect on the environment?

The exposure of bees, birds, mammals, fish, and plants is expected to be minimal, given the reduced application rate and the minimal deposits in soil, water and plants that are anticipated from the application. Pyrethroids are applied as fine droplets that don’t readily drift. As a result, the deposit of these fine droplets in water and on land is expected to have minimal impact on those ecosystems.

Pyrethroids are highly biodegradable and are broken down or degraded rapidly by sunlight or other compounds found in the atmosphere. Often, they only last a few weeks when exposed to sunlight before being degraded. Also, because pyrethroids bind strongly to dirt, they are not very mobile in soil and are not easily taken up by the roots of plants and vegetation. Pyrethroids usually do not leach into groundwater and do not contaminate drinking water supplies. To ensure no contamination of bodies of water, we follow all label directions that require specific setbacks when applying near bodies of water such as lakes and streams.

Mosquito Hero Best Management Practices Policy for Pollinators