MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C -- Anyone who has spent time in the Lowcountry knows about sand fleas. Measuring about 1/10th of inch in size, these pesky insects, nicknamed "micro vampires," can be a real nuisance. Thankfully, there is hope and it comes four times a year when a C-130H airplane drops a pesticide that kills about 99 percent of the sand flea population.
The giant sand flea killer from the sky is part of the U. S. Air Force's 757 Aerial Spray Flight Unit from Youngstown, Ohio, and has been wiping out sand fleas on Parris Island since 1983.
"The [Department of Defense] started a study on controlling sand fleas on Parris Island in 1983 because of man hours lost to skin rashes," said Air Force Maj. Mark Breidenbaugh, a medical entomologist with the 757 ASFU.
Though the sand fleas carried no human diseases, the sting of a sand flea can be felt for hours and can leave a small reddish or white welt. Constant scratching of these welts can lead to skin rashes and loss of training hours. The peak seasons for sand fleas are spring and fall and their peak time for activity is usually the mornings and evenings.
According to Breidenbaugh, the study found that using low volumes of pesticides significantly reduced the sand flea population by 99 percent. Unfortunately, sand fleas are persistent and it only takes about two weeks for the sand flea population to return to its original population size.
"The purpose of the spraying is to get [the sand fleas] down to a comfort level," said James Clarke, environmental compliance manager, Parris Island Environmental Office.
The pesticide used is an Environmental Protection Agency approved pesticide called Anvil, and it only takes 40 gallons to spray all of Parris Island. The pesticide is safe for humans and animals and is only dangerous to sand fleas and mosquitoes, according to Breidenbaugh. The C-130H carrying the pesticide flies at a speed of 230 mph and flies at an altitude of 150 feet.
"This is the [most fun] mission we fly," said Maj. Jeff Schaffer, operations officer with the 757 ASFU. "We can fly without the [Global Positioning System] because of all the rivers and natural landmarks."
Though Parris Island is the only place in the country the Air Force sprays for sand fleas, it does spray other parts of the country for other insects such as mosquitoes in North Dakota and Virginia. The unit also sprayed for flies in New Orleans last year in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. All of these missions not only help control insects in these areas; they also help prepare the AFSU for combat missions.
"These missions really help us
prepare for war time missions of spraying down insects, usually mosquitoes with malaria," said Breidenbaugh.
The study of controlling insects is an ongoing process and the Air Force continues to research the pesky insects and what works best to keep their numbers down.
According to Breidenbaugh, spraying is much more efficient now because of all the careful studies done in the past.
Sand fleas will always be a constant nuisance, especially when standing in a formation, but thanks to the efforts of the ASFU, there is a small bit of revenge given back to the sand fleas that populate Parris Island.