County Working Overtime on Mosquito Control

Mosquitoes love water, and with all the rain the Lowcountry has received recently the buzzing bloodsuckers are worse than ever.

Charleston County's Mosquito Control Program has been busy all summer combating the pests spraying pesticide from trucks and planes on more than 500,000 acres in Charleston County. But during one of the worst years on record for mosquito populations, the county program needs some help from residents as well.

"Employees are working seven days a week ground spraying, and several aircraft are spraying throughout the County," said Donna Odom, Charleston County Mosquito Control Superintendent. "But we cannot stress enough the importance of citizens doing their part to help eliminate mosquito egg-laying sites around their homes in order to help reduce the number of mosquitoes in their neighborhoods."

Mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water, where they hatch and the mosquito larvae grow to adults before becoming airborne. Without access to water the bug's life-cycle is cut short, so Mosquito Control Program officials are asking Charleston County residents to help eliminate standing water around their property, by doing things as simple as dumping out any water that has collected in outdoor containers.

"The public must help by flushing water out of birdbaths and pet dishes with a garden hose," Odom said. "Keep anything that has potential to hold water, such as toys, buckets, cans and bottles, turned over and emptied. In fact, container-breeding mosquitoes generate up to 30% of the requests for service our Division receives each year."

One of the biggest pests locally is the Tiger Mosquito, and it is particularly hard to control by spraying because it is only active during the day and doesn't stray more than about 1,000 feet from its breeding ground, according to Odom. However residents can have an impact on the number of Tiger Mosquitoes around their homes by making sure water isn't collecting in containers on their property.

The Mosquito Control Program can be reached 202-7880 for service requests and additiona information.

Tips for Reducing Mosquitoes:

• Every three days, flush birdbaths, potted plant saucers and other containers that hold water
• Keep yard clean and cut
• Remove items from yard that hold water and are not needed outside
• Keep lawn and gardening equipment indoors
• Fix leaky faucets
• Keep gutters clean
• Fill in tree holes with sand or concrete
• Change pet water dishes regularly
• Chlorinate pools and clean the pool and filters
• Add fish to ponds