There are four basic approaches to controlling mosquitoes: prevention, source reduction, larviciding and adulticiding. Preventing mosquitoes from breeding is the most desirable solution. Unfortunately, many human modifications of the environment such as ditches, retention ponds, and water management structures create mosquito breeding sites. Prevention requires working with planners to plan, construct, and maintain infrastructure without producing mosquito breeding habitats.
Source reduction is the elimination of water in which mosquitoes lay their eggs and in which the larvae develop or by containing water to eliminate areas for mosquitoes to lay their eggs. Source reduction is the second most effective method for controlling mosquitoes. Methods of source reduction involve eliminating containers that hold water and filling wet areas with soil. Some east coast salt marsh areas and in Lee County parts of J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge are impounded, keeping water on the marsh during mosquito season eliminating areas for mosquitoes to lay their eggs.
Larviciding is the use of materials to control immature stages of mosquitoes or prevent development of larvae from becoming adult mosquitoes. Larvicides are applied to waters that contain larvae and or pupae. Larvicides are effective in low concentrations and generally do not impact other organisms in the water or habitat. Every acre that is larvicided to prevent adult mosquitoes from emerging reduces the number of acres that must be treated with spray trucks or aircraft. Lee County Mosquito Control has built a program focusing on larviciding to control mosquitoes.
Adulticiding is the last effort to control mosquitoes. Applied as directed, adulticide treatments have minimal effects on other insects. Lee County Mosquito Control is diligent in ensuring the proper size droplets and application rates are used. Adulticiding is done at night when adult mosquitoes are most active, which is also when most non-target insects like bees, dragonflies and butterflies are not as active.
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