Mosquitoes Suck...
Mosquito control programs, regardless of how good they may be, rarely completely eliminate mosquitoes from a given area. So what can you do? There are a variety of things all residents can do to lessen the number of mosquitoes in their backyard.
- All standing water on your property should be eliminated.
- Dispose of all useless containers and those that are saved should be turned upside down.
- Tires, especially, can readily breed thousands of mosquitoes.
- Recycling containers should have holes drilled into their bottom to allow for drainage of rainwater or tight-fitting lids.
- Roof gutters and drainage ditches should be maintained and cleared of debris.
- Fish will readily eat mosquitoes and, therefore, should be placed in ornamental ponds.
- The water in bird baths, fountains, and troughs should be changed weekly.
- Swimming pools and wading pools should be kept emptied when not in use and covered so that water cannot collect in them (or the cover).
- Canoes and other boats should be covered or turned over for storage.
- Properly screening windows and doors will help keep mosquitoes and other biting insects outside -- away from you, your family and your pets.
- Properly grade property and smooth out tire ruts to allow for water drainage.
- Wear long pants and long sleeved shirts when outdoors particularly at dawn & dusk.
- Use mosquito repellent when outdoors. Be sure to use according to the label. Always use less than 10% DEET for children.
Contact your local mosquito control agency for more information about mosquitoes and how you can best control them.
Requests for Service
The public is always encouraged to call VDCI's local Mosquito Abatement Program office with service requests. All service requests are recorded and used to help identify mosquito problem areas. Calls for service can be used as a secondary indicator of where mosquito populations are high and causing human annoyance problems. These calls will enable us to pinpoint localized problem areas and to target larval and adult control operations and increase overall control effectiveness. In each instance of a call, an Inspector will be dispatched to the area within 24 hours and take all appropriate actions ranging from removal of tires and other debris, applying larvicide when larvae are present, or making targeted applications of adulticide.To request a service, please contact your local VDCI office.
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