Rockland Offers Free Mosquito Control Products For Pools, Ponds, Spas

ROCKLAND COUNY, NY — The Health Department will give away fathead minnows May 4 — but you don't have to wait to pick up the other free mosquito control product to help fight the spread of West Nile and Zika diseases.

Mosquito Dunks are also available and also free, while supplies last. They are small, donut-shaped objects that float on standing water and release bacteria that kill mosquitoes before they can become flying, biting adults.

The Health Department provides them to county residents to use in closed or unused private swimming pools and spas. Dunks are effective on wet surfaces for roughly 30 days. A single dunk will treat an area of about 100 square feet of standing water. It is important to know the rough dimensions of your closed/unused pool/spa to ensure you get the correct number of dunks for effective treatment.

Order them in advance. Visit the Mosquito Control Program webpage for details and to download a printable Order Form, call 845-364-3173, or e-mail wnv@co.rockland.ny.us to arrange a date and time for pickup at the Robert L. Yeager Health Complex, 50 Sanatorium Road in Pomona. Be sure to bring the completed and signed form to the pickup.

You can order the minnows now online, download a printable Order Form, or call (845) 364-3173.

Pickup for the fatheads will take place between 4-5:30 p.m. May 4, also at the complex.

Fathead minnows are small fish that eat mosquito larvae before they become flying, biting adults. They can eat up to 200 mosquito larvae per day. These minnows can be placed in unused swimming pools, ornamental ponds, and other similar areas that have a minimum of eight inches of water.

Care should be taken not to put the minnows in fishless waters that may be used by amphibians, such as frogs and salamanders, for breeding.

"We encourage residents to take advantage of these free mosquito control products to help control the mosquito population and protect ourselves and the community from vector-borne diseases. Remember, the most effective mosquito control begins in your own backyard, so be sure to check around your property for any items that can hold water and store them in a manner that prevents them from collecting water," said Amy Isenberg, Environmental Health Specialist, Mosquito Program Coordinator.

For more information, visit the Rockland County Health Department Mosquito Control Program webpage at http://bit.ly/2aXY0E4.