With water from recent rains accumulating wherever there are abandoned tires, empty containers, and puddles, there is a danger of increased mosquito populations.
It happens around here whenever it rains, which, granted, is not often. Because we do live in a dry desert, we often forget that mosquitoes are a part of the desert. Nevertheless, standing water from any source is bound to attract a mosquito looking for a place to lay eggs. Before we know it, we are slapping at the pesky critters. Besides an annoyance, mosquitoes are a concern because they do carry a risk of disease, including West Nile Virus and encephalitis.
State and county health departments in Arizona are always concerned after rains fall because they know that the risk of disease is real. It is up to you and I to take proactive steps to eliminate these potential breeding sites and protect not only our neighbors, but ourselves as well. With the break in the monsoon storms, now is a good time to search out and eliminate any standing water that could turn into breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Here are some suggestions of what you might need to do.
■ Walk around your property. Search out, drain, and get rid of anything that can hold water, such as tin cans, containers, and used tires. Old tires rank among the most important mosquito-breeding sites in the country.
■ Drill holes in the bottoms of your recycling containers and outdoor planters. Check uncovered junk piles for standing water and drain them immediately.
■ Clean any clogged roof gutters. Check storm drains, leaky outdoor faucets, and window wells for persistent water pools.
■ Empty accumulated water from wheelbarrows, boats, cargo trailers, pet dishes, toys, and ceramic pots. If possible, turn these items over when not in use.
■ Change the water in the birdbath every few days. Do not allow water to stagnate in ornamental pools, water gardens, animal watering dishes and swimming pools or their covers. Swimming pools should be cleaned and chlorinated when not in use.
■ If you know of a swimming pool or other decorative pond that is not being properly cared for, speak kindly to the owner and see if he or she will soon be doing the maintenance. If you know of abandoned pools with no one to care for them, contact the Pinal County Division of Environmental Health on Vector Control & Surveillance at (520) 866-6864 for more information.
■ Survey and decide whether or not you need to alter the landscape of your property to eliminate standing water. Keep in mind that during our warm spring weather, mosquitoes can breed in any puddle of water.
■ Larvicides, insecticides that kill young mosquitoes, are highly effective in controlling immature mosquitoes and should be considered when standing water cannot be eliminated.
■ Make sure all of your window and door screens are “bug tight.”
■ Check your outdoor lights. Incandescent lights attract mosquitoes, whereas fluorescent lights neither attract nor repel mosquitos. Consider changing to fluorescent bulbs where possible.
■ Stay indoors at dawn, dusk, and in the early evening when mosquitoes are most active. If you must go outdoors, wear a long-sleeved shirt and pants.
■ Insect repellents when applied (sparingly) to exposed skin deter mosquitoes from biting. Spray thin clothing with repellent because mosquitoes can bite through loosely woven cloth. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that repellents used on children contain no more than 10 percent DEET, the active ingredient in mosquito repellents. Be sure to follow all directions on product labels. Call our Cooperative Extension office for a bulletin that will describe the proper use of repellents.
■ If you have horses, goats, sheep and other livestock animals, check with your veterinarian for vaccination requirements. Horses, which are particularly susceptible, must be vaccinated for protection against the disease.
■ Aerate ornamental pools to prevent development of mosquito larvae, or stock them with mosquito fish. Fish are an excellent treatment for ponds and horse troughs. Mosquito fish have a voracious appetite for mosquitoes and their larvae. As I watch the fish in our back yard fishpond, the mosquito fish seem to be saying to mosquitoes and other passing insects, “Please fly close to the surface of the water!” and “Please come lay your eggs in my pond!” They have huge appetites for insects.
■ Learn all that you can about mosquitoes and West Nile Virus. A good source of information is the Pinal County Vector Control & Surveillance website called the Pinal County West Nile Virus Web Page. It can be found at http://www.pinalcounty.org/EnvHealth/WNV/ on the internet. Look at the bottom of the lower left hand column named “Hot Topics” and click on West Nile Virus. I would encourage anyone with questions about the disease, or the county’s effort to help us control these vectors, to visit this site.
In order to protect ourselves from disease, it is important that all of us work together to minimize the risks that come from living in the desert.
If you have questions, you can reach one of the Master Gardeners at the Cooperative Extension office, 820 E. Cottonwood Lane, Building C, in Casa Grande. The telephone is (520) 836-5221, extension 204. The author’s email address is gibsonrd@ag.arizona.edu.
The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities.
Rick Gibson
Extension Agent, Agriculture
University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
820 E. Cottonwood Lane, Building C
Casa Grande, Arizona 85122
Voice: (520) 836-5221
Fax: (520) 836-1750
email: gibsonrd@ag.arizona.edu
No comments:
Post a Comment