HEALTH eNEWS Curtailing Nuisance Mosquitoes is a Team Effort

With heavy rains and flooding conditions so prevalent this spring, the St. Charles County Division of Environmental Health and Protection requests assistance from homeowners to help reduce incidences of mosquitoes and to protect themselves against biting insects.

St. Charles County’s adult mosquito control program is primarily a complaint-driven process — meaning we only spray when residents notify staff that mosquitoes are a problem in their neighborhood. When alerted, staff injects larvicide in pools of standing water where mosquitoes hatch to control the population before it develops, and spray trucks disperse small amounts of insecticide to reduce the number of adult insects. Residents who are concerned about mosquito populations in their area should contact the Division of Environmental Health and Protection by phone at (636) 949-1800 or visit the Vector Control section of our website - http://health.sccmo.org/health/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23&Itemid=70032.

While the health department’s efforts may reduce the number of mosquitoes in the community, individuals must take personal responsibility to protect themselves and their families. Residents can discourage mosquitoes from biting by using an insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus whenever outdoors. When properly applied to exposed skin and clothing according to package instructions, products containing these active ingredients provide reasonably long lasting protection. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants when outside and checking window screens for potential damage. For additional tips on preventing insect bites, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/features/StopMosquitoes/.

In addition — to eliminate potential breeding grounds — the Division of Environmental Health and Protection staff recommends residents:

• Fill in or drain areas where water may stand for more than one week
• Empty watering cans, wading pools and other water containers after using
• Completely seal cesspools and screen all vents
• Clean clogged roof gutters and drain flat roofs so no water stays
• Cover all standing receptacles, such as rain barrels in rural areas, with netting
• Stock garden pools and ponds with small fish or aerate them
• Tilt wheelbarrows and machines with containers to prevent holding water

To learn more about Public Health issues affecting St. Charles County, please follow us on Twitter (@scchealth).