Miami-Dade County reminds residents to protect against mosquitoes this summer

The near daily rains and high heat indices so vital to peak mosquito season activity are here. Although Miami-Dade County’s Mosquito Control Division keeps tabs on the populations, and offers areawide treatments and domestic and commercial inspections, there is more that residents can do to protect themselves. Residents are encouraged to drain and cover – drain standing water to limit breeding and cover exposed skin to prevent bites.

"Keeping our residents safe and healthy is our number one priority, and that includes protecting them from the serious risks mosquitoes can pose during the summer," says Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. "Our Mosquito Control team is working around the clock, but we all have a role to play. With a few simple actions, every household can help prevent the spread of mosquito-borne illness. This is about neighbors helping neighbors, and every drop of standing water we get rid of is a win for public health."

Department of Solid Waste Management Director Aneisha Daniel, PhD: "This is the time of year when Miami-Dade residents may experience the worst of the mosquito season, but rest assured, our team is more than capable of responding to any nuisance issue, mass emergence, or disease flare up. Please remember to report mosquito issues immediately and help us continue to carry out the work vital to keeping everyone safe."

"Source reduction is the best way to stop mosquitoes before they become a problem," says Division Chief Dr. John-Paul Mutebi. "Be sure to check your yard for any accumulated water and get rid of it before the nuisance biters and disease carriers can get through their full lifecycle. Extra vigilance is especially important this time of year because conditions favor rapid mosquito development."

The division continues to address area-wide mosquito issues with a robust truck spray program that now includes an A1 Super Duty-outfitted larviciding truck. It continues to work with the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) to neutralize potential spread of mosquito-borne illnesses with an aggressive protocol first executed when a case is suspected, and then again when it is confirmed.

Surveillance and identification efforts remain the sharpest tools in the Mosquito Control Division's toolbox, with analysis of the contents of the more than 300 mosquito traps set throughout the county taking place on a weekly basis. This data drives decisions on when and where to execute area-wide treatments.  

This summer, the Mosquito Control Division suggests the following steps to reduce breeding and biting:

•    Apply a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-registered mosquito repellent with DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR-3535 as active ingredient before venturing outdoors
•    Sunscreen should go on the skin first, then mosquito repellent, and not the other way around
•    Use larvicide containing Bti in granular form to limit breeding in bromeliads, and dunk form for fountains and decorative ponds
•    Refresh the water in outdoor pet dishes and birdbaths once a week to keep pets properly hydrated AND bust up the mosquito life cycle
•    Check rain gutters to make sure they are free and clear of debris that clog them and facilitate breeding
•    Discard any objects not in use and that could potentially collect rain or irrigation water (trash, toys, planters, tires, home appliances, etc.)
•    Use fine mesh screening on doors, windows, porches, or patios to keep mosquitoes out; be sure they are kept in a good state of repair
•    Store car and boat tarps properly so they cannot accumulate rain or irrigation water and breed mosquitoes
•    Fill tree and lawn holes with soil or sand to prevent them from collecting water and breeding mosquitoes

There are three ways to request an inspection: call the County’s 311 Contact Center, on the web at miamidade.gov/311direct, or by downloading and installing the MDC Solid Waste mobile app for Android and iPhone.

The division is again observing National Mosquito Control Awareness Week this week with a series of themed posts pushed out through the Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram pages located at @305Mosquito. There are three live virtual events planned for this week – please click facebook.com/events/1941462006665010 to learn more, RSVP on Facebook, and find links to the events and recordings.

For more information about the County's mosquito control program and to request a mosquito inspection at no additional cost, please visit miamidade.gov/mosquito.