County on lookout for mosquitoes
BROOKSVILLE – County Mosquito Control Manager Peter Taylor spent much of Thursday morning making the rounds of area roads, ponds and ditches to gauge the insect population in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Andrea.
What he found was plenty of standing water in some of the retention ponds south of State Road 50, along Wiscon Road and near Brooksville city limits.
Taylor said the drainage system seems to be functioning but he will know better next week if the water stays topside or absorbs into the ground.
“We’ll stay on top of it,” said Taylor, who will continue to survey the area to see how it is affecting the mosquito population.
Andrea filled up many of the retention ponds, reservoirs and backyard pools in the area – all prime breeding ground for mosquitoes.
And given that Florida is now in the rainy season, the stinging pests are sure to make life miserable for many.
Taylor reminds residents to check their homes, lawns and gardens to make sure they are not creating mosquito-breeding sources.
“Take a look around your yard and dump out any standing water that has collected in flower pots, toys, lawn furniture or any item that holds water, including ornamental plants,” Taylor said. “Mosquitoes only need a quarter-inch of water to breed. Clogged gutters or downspouts that retain water are also a mosquito breeding ground.”
Certain types of mosquitoes can carry the West Nile Virus, deadly to humans and horses. In 2012, there were 73 confirmed cases of West Nile in Florida, causing three deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Hernando County Mosquito Control uses several techniques, including treating standing water to kill mosquito larvae in drainage retention areas, ditches, ponds, creeks, canals and swamps; placing mosquito-eating fish in water bodies as biological control; and placing solid larvicides in the form of 6-inch-long white tablets in breeding areas.
To ensure applications are effective, residents are asked to be careful not to remove larvicides from areas intended to control mosquito larvae. A good rule of thumb: Don’t know what it is? Don’t touch it.
The applications, while harmless to humans, are deadly to mosquito larvae and will allow department staffers to control larval mosquitoes before they emerge as adults.
Mosquito control is also operating its spray trucks at night to kill adult mosquitoes. Taylor said spraying is contingent on the number of mosquitoes found in the area.
If residents still have mosquitoes after checking their property for standing water, they should call Mosquito Control for staff to come to the area to inspect and treat for mosquito breeding.
Condemned swimming pools from foreclosures, left without pumps running and cages torn, have become a mosquito breeding paradise. Neighbors should call the Mosquito Control Department so staff may treat the pool to eliminate the source.
People should use mosquito repellent if they plan to be outdoors both during the dawn and dusk hours.
For more information, call Mosquito Control at (352) 540-6552, or check the Mosquito Control website at www.hernando county.us/mosquito.
(352) 544-5290
