Hackettstown: Keeping Your Yard Mosquito Free

From Town of Hackettstown:

July 24, 2020

The Warren County Mosquito Control Commission continually monitors the known mosquito production sites throughout the County; however, we need your help to monitor your own backyard! Mosquitoes absolutely need standing water to complete their life cycle; standing water left by recent rains will provide plenty of sites for them to develop into biting adults. Buckets, cans, rain barrels, plant saucers; literally anything that can hold water can produce thousands of mosquitoes in your own backyard. Make your yard a mosquito-free zone by: disposing of any tires; drilling holes in the bottom of recycling containers; clearing roof gutters of debris; cleaning pet water dishes and bird baths regularly; checking and emptying children’s toys; maintaining swimming pools and keeping swimming pool covers from holding water.

AMCA recommends people follow the three D’s to keep mosquitoes away:

• Drain: Empty out water containers at least once per week

• Dress: Wear long sleeves, long pants, and light-colored, loose-fitting clothing

• Defend: Properly apply an approved repellent such as DEET, picaridin, IR 3535 or oil of lemon-eucalyptus.

It is important to note that the Asian Tiger mosquito (ATM) doesn’t travel far from their initial habitat (where the egg they were hatched from was laid). They usually stay within a block radius. So if you’re being bothered by the ATM -the habitat is in your neighborhood!

Enlist your neighbors to help reduce the populations. If your repellent isn’t working, try one with a different active ingredient. https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dvbd/about/prevent-bites.html

Call mosquito control for help when you’ve tried your best but are still being ‘bugged’ by mosquitoes! 908.453.3585

This press release was produced by Town of Hackettstown. The views expressed here are the author’s own.