Officials urge beekeepers, horse owners to be vigilant about new insects, diseases
Clemson University Extension and Regulatory Services units are urging beekeepers to be vigilant about mosquitoes. And the Livestock Poultry Health unit associated with Clemson are telling horse owners to go ahead and vaccinate their animals for equine encephalitis.
Because of the abundance of mosquitoes left behind by Tropical Storm Debby, officials are increasing pesticide spraying to help lower the number of mosquitoes.
Beekeepers are warned to be aware of increased sprayings in their area and to cover their hives when necessary.
State law requires a 24-hour notice before spraying begins. The sprays help prevent the spread of mosquito diseases such as Zika virus, malaria and West Nile virus.
“We are cognizant of the impacts aerial spraying for mosquitoes can have on hive health, which is why we are doing our best to warn beekeepers in advance and urging them to watch local media outlets, government agency websites and social media for announcements about aerial applications and fogging operations,” executive director of PSA Regulatory Services Stephen Cole said in the press release.
Beekeepers are also encouraged to register with their local mosquito control program.
Clemson animal officials are also encouraging horse owners to vaccinate their animals against Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) after horses in Dorchester and Charleston counties contracted the disease with at least one of them being unvaccinated.
Horse owners can take additional methods along with vaccination such as bringing their animals in at dawn and dusk and spraying mosquito repellants to further reduce spread.
“There has been an explosion of mosquitoes in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Debby, and that results in an increase in the diseases they spread. Vaccinations are imperative in the current environment,” director of Equine Health Programs at Clemson University Sean Eastman said in the press release.
EEE has a 90% mortality rate in unvaccinated horses.
