Florida - We're halfway through hurricane season, and that means FL is filled with prime real estate for mosquitoes during their breeding season.
More rain means more standing water and breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The insects can live in water in containers like buckets, tires, kiddie pools, bird baths, and clogged gutters. Any container that retains water can cause mosquito problems for you and your neighborhood.
“The two mosquitoes that transmit dengue, chikungunya and Zika, are only produced in containers such as buckets, tires, kiddie pools and gutters,” said James McNelly, Volusia County’s mosquito control director. “They can even develop in a container as small as a bottle cap."
“There is something about the water quality found in standing water in containers that these mosquitoes like, so making sure everyone is dumping their containers regularly is critical to keep them from developing,” McNelly said.
These container-bred mosquitoes bite primarily during the day, unlike other mosquitoes which are mostly active at dawn, dusk, or at night. These mosquitoes will go into your home, which means it's important to check that all screens and doors are kept closed. And finally, these mosquitoes don't fly far from where they're born - other mosquitoes (like salt marsh mosquitoes) will travel pretty far to get a meal.
“Take a walk through your yard so you can see where water is collecting,” McNelly advises. “At first you may not think you have that much that can hold standing water. But, once you really take a look, you’ll probably be surprised. Even upside-down recycle containers that have an edge can hold water.”
Volusia County Mosquito ControL sprays regularly throughout the county during mosquito season. Residents can even request service in their area by calling 386-424-2920 in New Smyrna Beach, or 386-239-6516 in Daytona Beach.
For more info about mosquito prevention and protection, and to learn how to find mosquito larvae and pupae go to Volusia.org.
Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2016.
