Miami-Dade urges residents to “Fight the Bite” with fall mosquito safety tips

As fall arrives in Miami-Dade, many residents expect a break from mosquitoes. But the combination of lingering heat, heavy rains, and peak hurricane season means mosquito activity remains strong well into the season. That's why Miami-Dade County is reminding residents to Drain and Cover to help reduce mosquito breeding and avoid bites.

Miami Dade's Solid Waste Management Department Director Dr. Aneisha Daniel offers: "The weather may be cooling down somewhat, but that doesn’t mean that it is safe to let down one’s guard against mosquito bites. We recommend covering skin with loose-fit clothing or a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-registered repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR-3535 as the active ingredient. If your home or business is being swarmed by mosquitoes, please do not hesitate to request an inspection by calling 311."

"Container breeding mosquito species, which are the ones mostly known to carry diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika, thrive on the standing water left by rainfall and irrigation," says Mosquito Control Division Chief Dr. John-Paul Mutebi. "This is why we preach source reduction, or the 'drain' part of our 'Drain and Cover' public service advice." Dr. Mutebi came to Miami-Dade from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where he was a research entomologist.

Miami-Dade remains under a Florida Department of Health (FDOH) mosquito-borne illness alert following three locally acquired dengue cases in August. As of early September, 105 travel-related dengue cases have been confirmed, many linked to travel from Cuba and Puerto Rico, both dengue hotspots. Miami-Dade Mosquito Control continues to work closely with FDOH to track and respond quickly to suspected and confirmed cases.

To protect yourself and your family this fall:

•    Use the website miamidade.gov/mosquitoinspection to request assistance from Miami-Dade County 
•    Download and install the MDC Solid Waste mobile app for Android and iPhone as an additional way to request an inspection
•    Look out for tree and lawn holes that collect water and breed mosquitoes; fill with soil or sand
•    Consider installing fine mesh screening on doors, windows, porches, or patios to keep mosquitoes outside; ensure that they do not develop holes that may let mosquitoes in
•    Toss any objects not in use such as trash, toys, planters, tires, and home appliances, as they may collect rain or irrigation water and breed mosquitoes
•    Occasionally check and clean out rain gutters of leaves and branches that could clog them and promote mosquito breeding
•    Change out the water in outdoor pet dishes and birdbaths often to keep pets properly hydrated AND disrupt the mosquito life cycle
•    Use a larvicide containing Bti to limit breeding in bromeliads, fountains and decorative ponds (available in granular and dunk forms)

For more information about the County's mosquito control, please visit miamidade.gov/mosquito.