areas of open swamp or marshland, helicopters outfitted with spray tanks will distribute the larvicide in liquid form. For areas where there is canopy coverage from trees, helicopters outfitted with granular dispensers are used since the heavier granules more easily penetrate the canopy and reach the ground.
Understanding that the larvicide missions will not completely eradicate all the mosquitoes, the second wave of the assault will typically occur when the adult mosquitoes that survived the larviciding are most active: at night. This is when the fixed-wing aircraft join the fight as they head out under the cover of darkness to apply adulticide in liquid form. Using night vision goggles, the pilots normally fly their polygons at an altitude of 300 feet at a speed between 120 and 150 knots. Flying at such low altitudes in the dark requires an exceptionally high level of situational awareness.