ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The Maryland Department of Agriculture says it’s launching an aerial offensive to combat mosquitoes.

The agency says this year’s control program involves an airplane and two different insecticides to target mosquito larvae in wetlands and salt marshes.

The department says it aims to kill mosquitoes before they grow up and fly into populated areas. The agency says this reduces the need to spray for adult mosquitoes, and reduce the risk of mosquito- borne disease transmission to people, dogs and horses.

The department says every acre that it successfully treats to kill mosquito larvae may reduce adult spraying by thousands of acres.

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