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Mosquito Control discusses prevention strategies
As Florida’s rainy season nears, Pinellas County officials are sharing tips about how to keep mosquitoes away and limit breeding. FOX 13's Kailey Tracy reports
CLEARWATER, Fla. - As Florida’s rainy season nears, Pinellas County officials are sharing tips about how to keep mosquitoes away and limit breeding.
Why you should care:
They warned that even small amounts of water from lawn irrigation during the current drought can provide enough moisture for mosquitoes to breed. With 17 of the 40 species in the county capable of carrying diseases, officials are urging residents to take proactive measures to eliminate standing water on their properties.
The county’s sentinel chicken program helps with public health surveillance. There are eight chicken coops across the county. Employees draw their blood once a week to check for the antibodies to mosquito-borne illnesses.
What they're saying:
"They're a good early warning system so that we can go out and actually target the mosquito larvae in those areas," county officials said.
Health experts noted that while the chickens are not harmed by the illnesses, the data gathered from their weekly blood draws allows the county to pinpoint where treatments are most needed, and what types of mosquitoes are present in the area.
According to Caroline Pickart, a senior environmental specialist with Pinellas County Mosquito Control, it takes very little effort for a mosquito to start breeding.
"Mosquitoes only need a quarter-inch of water or a bottle cap to breed and continue their life cycle," Pickart said.
Pickart advises residents to dump out standing water at least once a week or remove containers entirely.
By the numbers:
Of the 40 mosquito species found in the county, 17 can spread diseases that cause symptoms such as fever, joint pain and nausea. Officials with the Pinellas County Health Department advise anyone feeling these symptoms to contact a physician.
Monitoring mosquitoes and treatment
Entomologist Jason Stuck maintains 45 different traps across the county. He and others constantly check the traps to track the breeding habits.
Stuck said right now, there are about 100 mosquitoes in the traps. During the rainy season, it jumps from 1,000 to 5,000, depending on where the trap is.
Pinellas County also uses a helicopter to treat the mosquitoes before they become adults in spots you can’t reach on foot or by truck.
"Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, it’s a little bit of a tongue twister, but it's a soil bacteria that's been isolated, and it impacts only mosquitoes and black flies in that larval stage before they become an adult. It's one of the major things we actually put out with our helicopter to try and combat those mosquitoes before they become adults and can harm the community," Alissa Berro, section manager of Pinellas County Mosquito Control, said.
What you can do:
Officials recommend that residents take personal precautions by using insect repellent containing DEET, lemon eucalyptus, IR3535 or picaridin, and wearing light-colored, long-sleeved clothing when outdoors.
For residents struggling with infestation at home, Pinellas County offers free treatments for residents experiencing mosquito issues. You can submit the details to SeeClickFix, or call 727-464-7503.
What's next:
Pinellas County is hosting a free tire collection event Saturday. You can bring up to 12 tires to one of three drop-off locations. Officials say one scrap tire can lead to thousands of mosquitoes in one single season when water collects inside. It runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the following locations:
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) North facility: 29582 U.S. Highway 19 N., Clearwater
Walsingham Park: 12615 102nd Ave., Seminole
Lealman Exchange: 5175 45th Street N., St. Petersburg
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from interviews with Pinellas County Mosquito Control and an entomologist.