| Experts say that Mosquito season is arriving earlier this year, are you prepared? |
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The 7 D’s of West Nile virus precautions and protection:
dawn, dusk, drain, dress, defend, door, DEET and district.
Dawn and
Dusk: Avoid spending time outside at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
Drain: Empty standing water on your property
Dress: Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt outdoors when mosquitoes are the most active. Wear loose clothing of a thick material.
Defend: Use effective repellents such as DEET, Picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus, as recommended by the EPA. It is crucial to follow the label instructions.
Door: Be sure your door and window screens are tight-fitting so mosquitoes can’t pass through.
DEET: This insect repellent, for adults, is effective on your clothing, but should be used sparingly on exposed skin. Be sure to follow the label and read the precautions on the EPA Web site, http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/chemicals/deet.htm)
District: Mosquito vector and control district personnel are on hand to address any mosquito problem. |
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Other tasks that residents can do to help eliminate mosquito breeding sites include:
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- Clean or hose out birdbaths and fountains at least once a week, preferably twice a week.
- Stock fish ponds with mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), which eat the larvae.
- Remove excess vegetation around ponds and yards; females like to lay their eggs in algae at the edge of the pond, and adult mosquitoes like to rest in dense shrubbery.
- Use dunks (doughnut-shaped pellets) or Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (BTI) to kill mosquito larvae in larger ponds. Both are non-toxic to animals.
- Clean clogged roof gutters, which can produce millions of mosquitoes.
- Overturn wheelbarrows and plastic wading pools to prevent water accumulation.
- Drill holes in permanent backyard containers to drain any water.
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- Keep water fresh in pet bowls.
- Maintain swimming pools and spas with chemicals and filters.
- Remove trash such as discarded tires, cans, cups, tin foil, plastic and paper.
- Adjust tarps over vehicles or firewood to allow water runoff.
- Fill tree holes with dirt or cement.
- Empty any excess water in dumpsters, trash cans and recycle bins and overturn the lids.
- Make sure window and door screens are “bug tight.”
- Replace outdoor lights with yellow “bug lights,” which tend to attract less mosquitoes than ordinary lights.
- Screen back porches if you like to sit outside.
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