Waging war against mosquitoes with DDT

In the age of the Zika virus, some are wondering if it is time to end to the ban on DDT, a pesticide that was once widely used to fight mosquitoes.

In the late 1940s, and into the 1950s and 1960s, trucks would drive through the streets spraying the pesticide, leaving a thick fog behind.

Fog machine spells death to mosquitoes

Many on Staten Island have memories of running behind the fog trucks -- the mosquito-killing fog was exciting and mysterious to the kids of the time. The driver of the truck was often referred to as the “mosquito man.”  That ended when DDT was banned in 1972.

This photo ran in the Advance on Aug. 21, 1967. The caption read: "A fogging machine spells death to mosquitoes as it lets loose its DDT mixture on brush along Holden Blvd. near Bradley Avenue in Meiers Corners."

Mosquito man hits the drive-in

This 1949 Advance file photo shows the mosquito man spraying at a drive-in theater on Staten Island to get rid of the mosquitoes before showtime.

Staten Island fog machine in 1949

In this 1949 Advance file photo, officials watch a fog machine operating during an effort to control Staten Island mosquitoes.

This 1973 Advance file photo shows an aerial view of Milton Avenue in Oakwood, which was a typical target for mosquito spraying. DDT was banned in 1972, and after that other pesticides, such as resmithrin, were sprayed on Staten Island.

This 1999 Advance file photo shows a truck spraying resmithrin on trees along Hylan Boulevard as it travels through Tottenville. The use of DDT was banned in 1972.

This Advance photo, taken in 1971, shows Sanitation Department workers handling some of the 400 drums of DDT moved from a shed at the department's Tompkinsville depot to the Brookfield Landfill.

This 2008 Advance file photo shows a helicopter dropping larvicide as it flies over New Dorp. The dropping of larvicide is still used by New York City in the fight against mosquitoes. The city also still sprays pesticides in certain areas.

Do you remember? Let us know

This Advance file photo, taken in South Beach in the 1960s, shows a typical Staten Island summer scene. For many Islanders, the mosquito man is a vivid summertime memory -- just like a day at the beach.

Do you have memories of running behind a fogging truck? Share them in the comments section.

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