Keeping Mosquitoes Away From Your Home!

distributed by noodls on 07/23/2012 09:35

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Keeping Mosquitoes Away from your Home!

In an effort to keep those pesky mosquitoes away from you and your family, the "Columbia County Integrated Mosquito Management Program Team" was formed in 2010 to address problem areas and to provide information that will help reduce mosquitoes around homes.

The Integrated Mosquito Management Program Team consists of individuals from the following Columbia County and State of Georgia departments:

Public Health - Environmental Health Section
Code Enforcement
Water Utility Division
Emergency & Operations
Roads & Bridges Department
3-1-1 Customer Service & Information

During 2011, the 3-1-1 Customer Service & Information Center received a total of 24 mosquito related complaints. Abandoned or neglected pools accounted for the majority of these complaints, amounting to 75% of the total number of calls. General nuisance complaints accounted for 8.3%. Combined retention/detention/private ponds accounted for 8.3% and drainge issues acounted for 8.3%. Evans reported the majority of mosquito complaints, followed by Martinez and Grovetown, with no complaints from the Harlem or Appling areas.

Larviciding is the current mosquito abatement program used by Columbia County. This is the most effective, cost-efficient, and eco-friendly method of mosquito control because it prevents the larvae from hatching into mosquitoes. The Larvicides are distributed in problem areas, including county owned retention ponds, storm drains, stagnant water sources in right-of-ways, abandoned or neglected swimming pools and other mosquito breeding sources of water.

While larviciding is highly effective, it will only do so much to prevent mosquitoes and the diseases that they transmit. We need each citizen to help reduce mosquitoes by taking personal protective measures to prevent your exposure to mosquitoes and - most importantly - eliminating all breeding sources of standing water around their homes. Remember, anything that can hold water for more than a few days can produce mosquitoes.

Use EPA registered mosquito repellents, make sure your windows and door screens are "bug tight," and wear clothing that will protect your skin when in areas with high mosquito populations.

Check your home for the following common mosquito breeding problem areas: Swimming pools, bird baths, gutters and downspouts, decorative ponds, containers, tarps, leaky spigots, low spots in yard, tires, tree holes and screens and remove them as soon as possible.

Together, we can reduce the mosquito population in Columbia County! If you have any questions or need more information, please call 3-1-1.

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