California Mosquito Awareness Week: April 16-22
Burbank, CA (April 13, 2023) - Mosquitoes are the most dangerous creature in the world. They kill over one million people worldwide each year because they can transmit debilitating, or sometimes deadly viruses like Malaria, West Nile virus, and dengue with just a bite. All Los Angeles County residents play an essential role in protecting their community. Mosquito control is a shared responsibility; residents can take simple steps to reduce them in their neighborhood. Here’s how to reduce the risk of mosquito-transmitted diseases and prevent mosquito breeding in and around your home.
Do-It-Yourself Solutions
Mosquitoes can lay eggs in the smallest places – even a bottle cap! Limiting the number of potential sources is the best method to reduce breeding on your property. Inspect around and inside your home for anything that can hold water such as vases, buckets, plant saucers, old tires, a fountain, an unmaintained swimming pool, yard drains, and even in the leaves of plants. Eliminate any stagnant water and remove the source. If the source cannot be removed, check weekly for standing water to prevent mosquito breeding. Remember to look for mosquito sources every week and after rain events. Download the DIY checklist by visiting bit.ly/diy-mosquito-solutions
Harvest Water, Not Mosquitoes
If residents need to store water in rain barrels, buckets, or other similar containers for longer than a week, these steps should be taken to ensure they are mosquito-proof:
● Cover all water-filled containers with tightly fitted lids.
● Screen all openings (overflows, gaps in the lid), including roof and floor gutters, with a 1/16-inch fine mesh to keep mosquitoes out.
● Use collected water right away and empty rain barrels completely between rain events.
● Use mosquito bits if you must keep stagnant water for over five days.
● Learn more by going to bit.ly/Rain-Barrel-Upkeep.
Repel, Don’t Swell
Remember to wear insect repellent to protect your health. The CDC recommends using repellents with active ingredients
such as DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus. It is imperative to wear insect repellent when traveling
abroad, especially when visiting subtropical and tropical regions. Visit bit.ly/repellent-information for more information.
Join Mosquito Watch
Mosquito Watch is a neighborhood program designed to protect your community from mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases. With guidance from mosquito experts and your leadership, you can help mobilize your neighbors to act, and reduce mosquito breeding and disease transmission in your neighborhood. Visit bit.ly/Mosquito-Watch for additional information.
Residents can also contact the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District at www.glamosquito.org for additional
mosquito-related questions and resources. Follow @GLAmosquito on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.