On Tuesday night, as the city settled into the heavy stillness of a Texas summer evening, trucks rolled quietly through Arlington, releasing a thin mist designed to do what no bug spray could: stop West Nile Virus at the source.
And they’ll be back again.
Following confirmation that two mosquito traps tested positive for West Nile, Arlington launched targeted ground spraying on July 22, with a second round scheduled for July 23, between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Crews are focusing on a half-mile radius around two locations: Douglas Court at North Cooper Street, and East Road to Six Flags Street near Ballpark Way.
The treatment isn’t a blanket approach. It’s a calculated strike. The city’s mosquito monitoring program, which runs from May through October, tests weekly samples in partnership with Tarrant County Public Health. When traps test positive — especially early in the cycle — city officials weigh a checklist of factors: mosquito abundance, proximity to human cases, upcoming outdoor events, and infection rates in the sample.
This time, the warning signs came early and strong enough to warrant immediate action.
The spray itself is a water-based permethrin solution, applied in an ultra-low volume mist to target adult mosquitoes. It disperses quickly and is designed to pose minimal risk to people and pets, while helping to prevent what could become a much larger problem.
In North Texas, West Nile isn’t just an occasional headline. It’s a seasonal threat. In bad years, dozens of cases have been reported across the state. Some never show symptoms. Others aren’t so lucky — severe neurological illness and even death remain real possibilities for a small but vulnerable portion of the population.
Residents can help reduce the mosquito count by taking the basics: dumping standing water, wearing long sleeves after dusk, and using insect repellent with DEET. To report mosquito activity or standing water on private property, Arlington encourages folks to use the Ask Arlington app or call the Action Center at 817-459-6777.