Mosquito Control takes aim at container breeding

Mosquito Control takes aim at container breeding

Pinellas County Mosquito Control is getting ahead of the rainy season to talk about preventing mosquito-borne diseases. The emphasis is on container breeding.

One important step residents can take is to dump outdoor household containers like planters, kiddie toys, and pools at least once a week. Mosquitoes only need a quarter inch of water to continue their breeding and life cycle. In the hotter summer months, they can grow from an egg to an adult mosquito in five to seven days.

"At Mosquito Control, when we're talking about container breeding, we're talking about man-made containers," said Caroline Scott, senior environmental specialist for Pinellas County Mosquito Control. "Buckets, children's toys. We talk about this because there are some species of mosquitoes such as aedes aegypti, which can carry dengue, chikungunya and Zika, that likes to breed in these types of containers."

Old tires left to collect water are also a prime breeding place for mosquitoes. That's why Pinellas County Mosquito Control and Pinellas County Solid Waste are teaming up to host a free countywide Tire Collection event at three County locations on April 19. Residents can bring up to 12 tires (no rims and no tires over 36 inches) and drop them off at no charge.

Man-made containers aren't the only concern for mosquito breeding. Stagnant water can also get trapped in places such as bromeliads, a colorful plant with a hollow center, and tree holes. Pinellas County recommends treating with Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI), a naturally occurring soil bacterium that can kill mosquito larvae and is found in most hardware stores.

Pinellas County Mosquito Control provides mosquito treatment and prevention services to the entire county, including all 24 municipalities. To request service, call (727) 464-7503 or submit a request via our app.