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Hernando Today

Noxious mosquitoes are back again!

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By DR. GUANGYE HU

Guest columnist

Published: June 20, 2009

Updated:

"Help, help, help!" a resident screamed over the phone, "I am being eaten alive by mosquitoes on steroids!"

Recent rainfalls have produced an early onslaught of blood-seeking mosquitoes. Once flooded, accumulated eggs laid during the drought along water banks hatch quickly, flying off to seek hosts such as people, birds, and other animals.

The flood mosquitoes are big and aggressive. They chase you down, drill into your skin and take your blood, causing pain and itchiness. "I have lost a pint of blood to those suckers," a Spring Hill resident claimed. "Mosquitoes are killing my kids" a Ridge Manor woman shouted.

Day time nuisance mosquitoes interrupt people's normal lives. They make it almost impossible for residents to mow their lawns, take kids outside, play golf, go camping, enjoy parties or even take a walk. Night time mosquitoes can transmit West Nile (WN) Encephalitis, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), dog heartworm disease and other sicknesses, sometimes taking the lives of people, horses, dogs and other animals. "I am 82, too young to die from West Nile Virus," a Spring Hill resident joked over the phone.

Residents are urged to protect themselves when going out, especially during the hours of dusk and dawn Long-sleeve shirts, long pants, socks, hats and repellents containing DEET will help keep mosquitoes at bay.

There have been several EEE horse fatalities in Florida this year. Horse owners should have their horses vaccinated by a vet. Symptoms in sickened horses are dizziness, head pressing, circling and laying on their side.

Mosquito Control has already received hundreds of service requests this month. When calling in, residents need to provide their name, address, phone number and nature of the problem. Technicians will respond by investigating the problem and making proper treatment and notification to resident.

Mosquitoes grow in almost any kind or amount of water. Controlling mosquito larvae is vital to mosquito control. Confined in their water habitat, larvae are treated and eliminated before they mature and "take to wing." Field technicians patrol their areas searching for mosquitoes breeding in lakes, ponds, drainage ditches, swamps, depressions and they treat the water with a host of larvicides, which include a surface suffocant, natural bacterial products, insect growth regulators and the least used, an organophosphate.

The department has colonized mosquito fish (Gambusia) as a biological control agent. Each mosquito fish eats up to 200 to 300 mosquito larvae a day.

The fish are seeded to ponds, drainage areas and animal troughs. Residents may request to have mosquito fish delivered to them or they can pick the fish up at Mosquito Control.

The American Mosquito Control Association has declared the 13{+t}{+h} Annual "Mosquito Control Awareness Week," June 21-27. Residents are asked to check their property for standing water such as buckets, toys, kiddie pools, planters, bird baths, boats, clogged gutters and gutter extensions, bromeliads, low spots, pet dishes and old tires. Residents that breed mosquitoes in this fashion become the first or only victims of these nasty daytime biters. Important to know, these mosquitoes hide at night, so spray trucks will not help eliminate these mosquitoes.

Abandoned swimming pools have become a growing concern for mosquito breeding. These pools, many inoperative, half-full, growing algae with broken cages, can breed millions of mosquitoes that are potential West Nile Encephalitis transmitters. Residents are encouraged to report suspected abandoned pools to mosquito control so they can be inspected and treated

It is important to understand that mosquito control is much more than sending a spray truck (airplane or helicopter in other counties) to kill adult mosquitoes. Night-time spraying is actually the last defense after all the above procedures have been done, but there are still mosquitoes present in the area.

These mosquitoes commonly breed in areas inaccessible to larviciding, such as conservation lands, woods, some costal islands and tree holes. Spray routes are scheduled based upon surveillance data and complaints. The chemical used is Kontrol 4-4, a permethrin product, safe to humans and animals.

To request mosquito control services, call 352-754-4060 or make your request via our Web site at www.hernandocounty.us/mosquito.

Dr. Guangye Hu is director of the Hernando County Mosquito Control Department.

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