Sarasota County Mosquito Management Services is currently treating woodlots, coast and other flooded areas for mosquitoes. Staff are treating for larval mosquitoes in bodies of stagnant water to prevent large amounts of mosquitoes from hatching and are monitoring for adult mosquitoes to see if adult treatment will be necessary, weather permitting. Mosquito management needs the public’s help to reduce household mosquito problems by dumping and covering anything holding water in their yard, such as buckets, tarps, toys, plant saucers, etc. This will allow our staff to focus more time on larger areas and neighborhood problems.

 

Mosquito Management Services urges community members to cover up with long, loose-fitting and light-colored clothing to reduce bites. If community members do experience a mosquito problem, they can submit service requests by visiting scgov.net/mosquito or calling 311.

Fight the Bite

Mosquitoes thrive by breeding in standing water around your home. Mosquito bite prevention is key to avoiding all mosquito-related illnesses in both humans and animals. Let’s “Fight the Bite” together with these three easy steps:

1. Drain Standing Water.

Eliminating mosquito breeding grounds is one of the best preventative measures to reduce mosquito populations and to protect your home.

Dump and drain water from containers such as buckets, pet dishes, bird baths, gutters, tarps, and other items that collect water.

Cover containers such as trash cans, rain barrels, or abandoned pools.

Discard old tires, drums, children’s toys, trash, or other items that are not being used, or take them indoors.

Please note that bromeliad plants are a natural container and breed mosquitoes. Consider treating or removing them.

2. .Cover Your Skin.

Mosquitoes can bite at any time, day, or night. If you must be outside when mosquitoes are active, please consider the following:

• Cover your skin by wearing loose-fitting clothes that cover your arms and legs and wear shoes and socks.
• Apply repellent to bare skin and clothing. EPA-registered insect repellents are effective and recommended by the CDC.

3. Keep Mosquitoes Out.

Mosquitoes can live indoors as well as outdoors, so try to keep mosquitoes out of your house.

• Install or repair screening on windows, doors, porches, and patios.
• Keep doors closed and do not leave them propped open.
• Use air conditioning when possible.

Sarasota County Mosquito Management is here to help. If you have a mosquito problem, please call 311 for more information or schedule a Service Request.