The environmental group Defend H20 has started a petition to end Suffolk County’s use of methoprene to control the mosquito population.

The group’s founder Kevin McAllister says the pesticide is also killing lobsters, crabs and shrimp. They claim there is an alternative and want to know why the county is refusing to stop.

It's already been banned in some states, including Connecticut.

"The chronic spraying year after year is really knocking back the ecology, the aquatic life that's in the marsh," says McAllister.

News 12 received a statement from Suffolk County Vector Control that says in part, “At this time, the county has found no new information that warrants a change to methoprene usage.”

It goes on to say that the usage of the pesticide “undergoes a rigorous environmental review and the County continually reviews documentation and scientific literature to keep current on any potential health and environmental effects.”