Miami-Dade County offers mosquito tips for the fall

Residents in Miami-Dade County may be over the sweltering heat and torrential downpours, and ready for pumpkin spice lattes and earth-toned fashions. However, mosquitoes are not yet ready to fly off into the earlier sunsets. In fact, the winged pests are a presence here in our County all year round, which is why the Mosquito Division is fully staffed and readily engaged no matter the season. This further underscores the need for mitigation efforts, even during the fall.

"Mosquitoes aren’t just a nuisance to people and pets, they also are known to vector serious illnesses such as West Nile Virus, dengue, yellow fever, malaria, and chikungunya," says Division Director Dr. William Petrie. "This is the primary reason why those living in the area must be vigilant all year round. The best protection comes from source reduction, meaning eliminating standing water to prevent mosquito breeding, and also through applying a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-registered repellent with DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR-3535 before venturing outside."

Here are some additional tips to help one Fight The Bite and stay illness-free:

• Maintain rain gutters free and clear of leaves and other debris to prevent clogs
• Install mesh screens on windows, doors and porches, cover cribs with mosquito netting
• Treat bromeliads and other water-holding plants with the larvicide Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) in granule form
• Use Bti dunks in ponds and decorative fountains
• Discard items in your yard that could possibly collect rain or irrigation water
• Prevent your swimming pool from turning green by checking the chemical levels often and running the pump frequently
• Refresh / replace the water in outdoor pet dishes and birdbaths weekly
• Ensure that boat and car covers are not trapping water
• Cover exposed skin with clothing such as long-sleeved shirts, pants, socks and hats
• Fill in tree holes with sand

The division continues to treat select areas by truck on a regular basis to eliminate mosquito larvae. Find out more and view the schedule at bit.ly/MDCTruckSpray. Mosquito Control also posts planned truck spray treatments for adult mosquitoes each afternoon on their social media pages located at facebook.com/305Mosquito and twitter.com/305Mosquito.

Residents can report mosquito nuisance issues and submit a request for a property inspection online at miamidade.gov/311Direct, by using the Miami-Dade Solid Waste Management Department mobile app, or by calling 311.

For additional information about Miami-Dade County’s Mosquito Control program and more Fight The Bite tips, please navigate to miamidade.gov/mosquito.

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