County: Remove Standing Water to Keep Mosquitoes Away

The following comes from the Morris County Mosquito Extermination Commission:

April showers may bring May flowers, but April downpours almost always bring May mosquitoes.

Kristian McMorland, superintendent of the Morris County Mosquito Extermination Commission, said the rain that drenched the area during last weekend’s nor’easter means adult mosquitoes will be emerging soon.

“We have been treating larval mosquitoes since mid-March, concentrating on woodland pools and puddles and other early season habitats,” McMorland said.  “We also spent the winter cutting brush and removing blockages from streams that may result in mosquito issues in the spring and summer.  But, with 2 to 3 inches of rain that fell this weekend, we can certainly use the public’s assistance.”

The most important thing a homeowner can do is exercise more vigilance around his or her yard, McMorland said.

“Mosquitoes need water for breeding,” McMorland said.  “Mosquitoes must have water for at least 7 days to complete their development. By eliminating standing water around the outside of a house, a homeowner is helping to reduce mosquito levels.”

He said cans, plastic containers, buckets, pool covers, ceramic pots or similar water-holding containers outside a home should be checked, and any water that may have accumulated in them should be emptied or disposed of.

Water in bird baths should be changed regularly and clogged gutters should be cleared, advised McMorland.

“Homeowners may not realize it, but they play an important role in our mosquito control efforts,” McMorland said.

More information about the Morris County Mosquito Commission may be obtained on its Web site, www.morrismosquito.org, or by calling the commission at (973) 285-6450.

 The web site is updated on a regular basis with the latest news about the commission’s activities in the fight against mosquitoes.                                      

The Morris County Mosquito Commission, organized in 1928, carries on a program of integrated pest management including inspections, biological controls, water management, disease surveillance, public education and coordinated efforts with the public health agencies and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.