First Mosquito Spraying Of The Season To Take Place Friday

OSWEGO, IL — The Village of Oswego announced in a release Wednesday that its contracted mosquito control company will conduct its first spray of the season for adult mosquitoes Friday.

Clarke uses a comprehensive program including surveillance of the mosquito population, larval control, and adult mosquito control to help minimize mosquito populations. Crews have already been working throughout the village treating catch basins to prevent larvae from hatching into adult mosquitoes that could be detrimental to health.

The village said residents can help reduce the mosquito population by eliminating mosquito breeding sites on their own properties and reporting standing water on public property.

"The single most important thing you can do to make your own backyard comfortable and pest free is to eliminate standing water where mosquitoes lay their eggs. Clogged gutters, open trash bins, low-lying parts of the yard, pet water bowls, potted plant saucers, and toys like wagons and play sets can all be breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Pools of water as small as a bottle cap are enough for a mosquito to lay and hatch eggs," the release stated.

Residents can also report standing water on public property or large, concentrated areas of mosquitoes here.

Mosquito spraying is a big job that begins around dusk and continues for several hours into the early morning. This timing helps ensure that technicians are spraying when the mosquitoes are most active.

The village also asks people to avoid being outside at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active, wear pants and long-sleeved shirts, and apply a CDC-approved repellent, such as DEET, Picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.

For more information, visit the village's Mosquito Control page.