Almond Gets Delay in Mosquito Spraying, after Sukkot

At Councilwoman Vicki Almond's request, the Oct. 1 mosquito spraying set for Pikesville will be delayed until after the Jewish holiday Sukkot.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture has said it will not be harmful to wait, according to Steve Heinl, Almond's legislative aide.

That means that spraying against mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus will be done at 7:30 Monday, Sept. 24, but not on Oct. 1.

See the map of the areas to be sprayed.

Rather, the latter date could be rescheduled some time after the last day of Sukkot, Heinl said. That is, unless colder weather kills off mosquitoes first.

Sukkot, the festival of seven days, begins at sundown Sept. 30 and ends at sundown Oct. 7, according to Chabad.org.

Almond asked for the change because some leaders in the Jewish community requested it, Heinl said.

The Department of Agriculture plans to spray BioMist 30-30 from trucks in parts of Pikesville north of Slade and north of I-695 to help control mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus.

Cases of the disease were confirmed in humans in Baltimore County, including in areas of Pikesville and Catonsville.

Almond announced the spray date change Monday on her Facebook page.

Celebration of Sukkot, the harvest festival, includes building temporary, hut-like structures, called sukkahs, outside of homes and restaurants.

Meals are eaten there to remember when Jews wandered the desert, according to Judaism 101 online.