In Fairfax County, Virginia, the health department is working to “fight the bite” of mosquitoes by visiting residents’ homes and providing advice on how to reduce the pests.
Through Fairfax County’s free inspection program, Andy Lima visits homes and scours the property for mosquito havens.
It takes just a week for a mosquito egg to become a ravenous female adult, he said.
“Anything that does stay out in the yard must be emptied at least weekly to keep the mosquitoes at bay,” Lima said.
Even a tiny bird bath can be trouble along with corrugated downspouts and anywhere else water can collect, allowing mosquitoes to thrive. A self-watering flower pot can become a mosquito swimming pool. And firewood piles or loose tarp can be especially problematic because of divots that hold water.
After an inspection, residents get a full report on the steps they need to take to reduce mosquitoes.
“It’s just a matter of finding those small, hidden habitats that we’re not really thinking of. We’re thinking of big water for mosquitoes, but in this case, it’s really small water in the yards,” Lima said.
Ticks are another insect that can carry disease, including Lyme disease. That’s why the health department also “fights the bite” by helping residents identify ticks.
People can send in a picture of the tick that bit them to get information about it.
“We can tell people what type of tick they had, what things those ticks are known to be associated with,” Josh Smith with the health department said.
Insect repellent is one of the best tools to ward them off, Smith said. Spray clothing outside with permethrin the day before and spray skin with a different type of repellent before venturing out.
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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
