TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Mosquitoes can spread various diseases like the West Nile and Zika viruses, so now is the time to be on the lookout for more of them.
Hillsborough County’s Mosquito Management showed off how it plans to fight the pest population on Tuesday morning.
The county said more than 40 species of mosquitoes live in Hillsborough County. It has 30 mosquito traps throughout the county to keep track of the mosquito population.
While it’s not spraying for mosquitoes as often anymore, it’s treating for larvae before they are old enough to bite.
Hillsborough County said it is all about treatment and prevention when it comes to the pesky creatures.
“Prime mosquito breeding grounds right here,” said Eric Long with mosquito management.
Long showed how water builds up in households items outside and explained why it’s important for you to empty the water.
“Larva can breed and they can cause one of the most deadliest mosquitoes out there,” Long said.
To keep mosquitoes away, Long said drain the water from gutters, tires, bromeliads, coolers, fountains and kiddie pools.
The county draws blood from their chickens once a week, so the mosquito management team can test for disease.
“Right now in central Florida, there’s quite a bit of eastern equine encephalitis going on so we’re able to detect that with our chickens,” Burns said.
The team conducts more than 20,000 larvae inspections per year. They use eastern mosquito fish, which are native to Florida, to combat the larvae.
“We use them as a biological control, which they are natural predator for mosquito larvae,” said Alexa Patrizio, mosquito management project coordinator. “These guys are going to eat mosquito larvae, which is the aquatic phase of the mosquito life phase, so they’re not going to jump out of the water to eat the flying adults.”
The county gives away the fish in bags of 10. For information on mosquito control, contact Mosquito Management and Aquatic Weed Unit at 813-635-5400.
