Due to the heavy rainfall from Hurricane Tammy earlier in the week, residents are called on to minimize the risk of mosquito-borne diseases by remaining vigilant and eliminating mosquito breeding grounds.
The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) says that overgrown vegetation and stagnant water are mosquito breeding sites that can become the perfect breeding ground.
CPS appeals to residents to assist seniors and others by removing overgrown vegetation from their yards.
Adult mosquitoes thrive in areas with moist plant life, like the lush vegetation and tall grass that often surrounds ponds etc. If you keep these areas trimmed and tidy, mosquitoes will be less likely to hang around and lay eggs on your property. Be sure to regularly cut back overgrown vegetation and remove weeds and dead plants. Tall shrubs can protect mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes can breed in as little as a half-inch of water. This is not much, and plant saucers, bottle caps or plastic shopping bags hidden amongst vegetation/shrub are some of those unassuming places that can gather a small amount and still be a huge breeding site for your backyard mosquito.
Source reduction is the key to decreasing the mosquito population. Due to the tropical nature of our climate, breeding
habitats are in abundance, and many of them are unfortunately man-made.
Breeding sites include anywhere that water can settle or remain stagnant for a certain time undisturbed from garbage to your flowers/plants. This includes tin cans, old tires, empty paint cans, buckets, old saucers, flowerpots, cemetery urns/vase, old pet dishes, unused plastic swimming pools, boats on dry dock, used food containers, plastic drinking cups; plastic shopping bags or other containers or plants that collect and hold water.
Cover or turn over unused boats or make sure the water runoff is free to run on the ground. CPS calls on boatyards, building site supervisors to take measures to prevent mosquito breeding sites.
A bite by an infectious Aedes aegypti mosquito, spreads diseases such as – Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya, Yellow Fever -, and therefore it is crucial for every household, and business to prevent its breeding. In addition to eliminating breeding sites, use mosquito repellent to prevent the mosquitoes from feeding.
It is very important to check around your yard and in case of a business- your work environment, to make sure there is no standing water after rainfall and monitor the shrub and vegetation.
A few tips/reminders: Get rid of any unused pots or bins or turn them upside down, so they don’t collect water; Keep trash and recycling bins covered. If you can, try drilling drain holes into the bottom of them; keep a fine-mesh screen over rain barrels, water tanks and cistern outlets. Clean your rain spouts regularly so water can flow and not become stagnant; and properly remove or treat old unused tires.
Take a look at your plants, once your plants are collecting water in between the leaves and the stem, these too pose as a breeding site. Trim plants and tree hedges and keep your property clean, because it also prevents rodents from thriving.
For issues surrounding mosquito breeding sites, contact CPS’ vector control team by calling 520-4161, 542-1222/1570, or 914. You can also email ve************@si************.org with supporting pictures and contact information to report a mosquito nuisance or request assistance.
Collectively, we need to minimize the mosquito population at its source! Take action after every rainfall event, remain vigilant in preventing the spread of mosquito borne diseases!
- Saturday, April 27, 2024
