Miami-Dade County Mosquito Control Division offers summertime mosquito tips

With near-daily rainfall and elevated temperatures, the season is ripe for increased mosquito activity. This means that measures should be taken to protect from mosquito bites and the diseases they may transmit. The Miami-Dade Mosquito Control division is ready to assist with tips and a robust program that alleviates these issues by providing inspections of homes and businesses.

"Most species present here take only between seven to 10 days to go from egg to biting adult," says Division Director Dr. John-Paul Mutebi. "This is why taking pains to eliminate the sources for breeding is of upmost importance at this time of the year." Hired in December of 2023, the relatively new division director was previously employed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in an outbreak response capacity.

During the peak of mosquito season, which has officially begun, the Mosquito Control Division increases the amount of preventive truck spray treatments performed throughout the County. They've recently started treating areas such as Brickell, Coral Gables, and Sunny Isles Beach, and other areas. The substance used in such treatments only kills mosquito and black fly larvae, and is harmless to people, pets, birds, pollinators, and other wild animals. For more information, visit miamidade.gov/truckspray.

This week, the division is observing National Mosquito Control Awareness Week by posting daily tips and hosting online events featuring mosquito control professionals from throughout the United States. Created by the American Mosquito Control Association, the week encourages districts and divisions to highlight the important work they do. Click here for more information and to sign up for event and posting alerts on Facebook. Followers can track the action on the Instagram and Twitter / X @305Mosquito accounts. 

Miami-Dade's Mosquito Control Division also hosted a media availability on Monday, June 17 featuring Dr. Mutebi, and the Department of Solid Waste Management’s Director Dr. Aneisha Daniel, PhD at the division's headquarters in Doral. The two were on hand to answer questions about mosquitoes, and the county's state of preparedness for the busy season. B-roll video of the division’s operations processes is available by clicking here and here.

Here are some additional tips to help keep you free from mosquito bites and to reduce breeding near you:

·    Check for and get rid of standing water collected in garbage cans, rain gutters, pool covers, coolers, toys, flowerpots, or any other containers where sprinkler or rainwater has gathered.
·    Apply U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-registered repellents that feature DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR-3535 as active ingredients before heading outdoors.
·    Treat bromeliads and other water-holding decorative plants with the preventive larvicide Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) in granular form.
·    Cover doors, windows, patios, and porches with screens to prevent mosquitoes from entering; be sure to keep them in a good state of repair. 
·    Frequently replace the water in birdbaths and pet water bowls.
·    Get rid of old tires, drums, bottles, cans, pots and pans, broken appliances, and other items that aren’t being used; consider using the Miami-Dade Solid Waste Management Bulky Waste Pickup system.
·    Properly treat swimming pools with their required chemicals year-round, and report any abandoned pools to the County; empty and store plastic swimming pools when not in use.
·    Request a mosquito inspection online at miamidade.gov/mosquitoinspection, by calling 311, or using one of several Miami-Dade County mobile apps.

To learn more about the County’s Mosquito Control Division and get additional tips, please visit  miamidade.gov/mosquito.