Dump out that standing water!

Mosquitoes breed in unexpected places

Most people know that mosquitoes breed in standing water around the home and that neglected pools and ponds can produce millions of mosquitoes.  Many people, however, forget about the multitude of other places where mosquitoes can breed.  An overlooked birdbath, for instance, has the potential to generate thousands of mosquitoes, especially during the warm summer months.  This summer, GLACVCD encourages you to take a look around your home and eliminate those small sources that can cause big breeding problems.

Here is a checklist (to get you started) of places to look for standing water around your home that you may not have considered:

-Birdbaths
-Flower pots
-Ornamental Fountains
-Hot tubs
-Rain barrels
-Storm drains
-Tires
-Toys
-Tree holes
-Rain gutters
-Water troughs

So what should you do if you encounter water in any of these places?  Well, for the small containers, simply turn them over and dump out any water inside.  Try to keep these containers turned upside-down when not in use to prevent them from accumulating rain water in the fall and winter or sprinkler water in the spring and summer.  Watch for objects such as empty cups left outside after that party you had for your son's graduation, or soda cans still sitting on the patio furniture from that Sunday "Fun-day" barbeque.  For potential breeding sources such as birdbaths and water dishes for pets, make sure to clean them out once a week.  This will prevent the water from accumulating the organic material that female mosquitoes look for when finding water on which to lay their eggs.  Larger sources such as pools and ponds will not be mosquito-breeding havens if they are properly filtered and maintained.  Chlorine in a pool and mosquitofish in a pond will eliminate the mosquito larvae looking to thrive in your backyard. (click here to read more)

EVS Trap

District uses traps to catch mosquitoes for West Nile virus testing

You may have noticed funny-looking contraptions hanging from trees or nestled along fence lines in your neighborhood.  Pictured here, these are mosquito traps used by GLACVCD as part of its Disease Surveillance Program.  The traps lure and capture mosquitoes, which are subsequently counted, identified and tested to determine the presence of mosquito-borne viruses, mosquito abundance and mosquito species  in a specific area.

The District

routinely uses two types of traps: the Encephalitis Vector Surveillance (EVS) Trap and the Reiter Trap.  The EVS Trap uses dry ice (CO2) as a bait to attract host-seeking female mosquitoes.  EVS traps are mainly used to catch mosquitoes which can reveal whether Saint Louis Encephalitis (SLE), Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE) or West Nile virus (WNV) is present within a local area.  During mosquito season, the District sets traps at strategic, fixed locations throughout its 1,330 square mile territory.  Vector Ecologists will set the traps once a week and leave them out overnight to capture mosquitoes.  This type of trap most often attracts the mosquito species Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex tarsalis, which are the primary vectors of SLE, WEE and WNV.(click here to read more)

Mosquito Fun Fact

A mosquito can smell the carbon dioxide you exhale from 60 to 75 feet away!

Headquarters

12545 Florence Avenue

Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670

Phone: (562) 944-9656

Sylmar Branch   

16320 Foothill Boulevard

Sylmar, CA 91342   

Phone: (818) 364-9589

info@glacvcd.org       

www.glacvcd.org