Williamsburg will start its mosquito control program June 3 – mosquito season is June-September.
The program includes the spraying of city streets on Wednesdays beginning around dusk from June through September. It’s weather-dependent and curtailed during rainy conditions, according to a news release from the city.
Crews use an insecticide that kills adult mosquitoes, black flies and gnats. The insecticide, Duet, rapidly bio-degrades to create less risk for area beekeepers and pollinators, officials said.
The program also includes on-site yard inspections, eliminating breeding sites such as standing water and using a low-toxicity pellet or briquette style pesticide to reduce larvae when removing standing water is not feasible. Most species of mosquito live about two weeks, so any change in their breeding grounds will have a near-immediate impact on the number of mosquitoes in an area.
So, what’s your part in all these. Here are some tips:
- Change the water in birdbaths, ornamental ponds and fountains at least once a week.
- Clean leaf-filled drains, gutters and roof areas to allow proper drainage.
- Fill in or drain any low places (puddles, ruts) in yard.
- Keep grass cut short and shrubbery well-trimmed around the house so adult mosquitoes will not have a place to hide.
- Make sure your backyard pool is properly cared for while on vacation.
- Turn buckets, baby pools, boats and other outside containers upside down when they are not in use.
- Cover rain barrels, garbage cans and other large containers.
- Properly dispose of old, unnecessary tires.
- Repair leaky water faucets, water hoses and air conditioners.
Call the city’s Public Works office at 757-220-6140 with any questions about the mosquito control program, for an on-site yard inspection or for information on how to get rid of old tires.