Mosquito season starts now, and prevention is key

Starting this month, city workers are trapping and testing mosquitoes at 71 sites. The city is also applying larvicide to standing-water sites.

Fort Worth, Texas - The 2019 mosquito season is underway in Fort Worth as the Code Compliance Department has begun setting out 71 mosquito traps for this year’s testing.

Mosquito surveillance is a significant prevention tool used by the city and its partner, the University of North Texas Health Science Center, to collect and identify mosquitoes and test them for various diseases such as West Nile virus. Surveillance and testing activities occur weekly from May through the end of October.

Prevention is the absolute key to help control mosquitoes that spread viruses. Adult mosquitoes live inside and outside and they can bite during the day and the evening hours. Even a few infected mosquitoes can lead to outbreaks in a community.

Protect yourself, your family and community

• Dump standing water in and around your home by emptying and scrubbing all outdoor containers such as pools, toys, planters, birdbaths and trash containers.
• Tightly cover water storage containers such as buckets, cisterns and rain barrels so that mosquitoes cannot get inside to lay eggs.
• Clean out gutters to avoid standing water. Examine them for damage that might cause water to collect.
• Inspect your yard after ever rainfall and empty any containers or areas where water has collected. Watch for puddles where condensation gathers from the AC unit.
• Use screens on windows and doors and repair any holes in the screens.
• Use insect repellent anytime you’re outside. Use an insect repellent with one of these active ingredients; DEET, Picaridin or oil of lemon/eucalyptus or other EPA-approved repellent.

To learn more, call 817-392-1234.