It's Mosquito Season in North Texas

Mosquito season is headed to North Texas, and the City of Fort Worth wants to help residents prepare.

The city published a blog post with prevention best practices on Thursday. Mosquito season runs from May through October because warmer temperatures, rainy weather, and growing grass provide an ideal breeding ground.

Adult mosquitos can live indoors and outdoors, biting throughout the day and into the night hours. Unfortunately, mosquitos can be a serious health risk, as they can carry diseases such as West Nile Virus and Zika virus.

Just a few infected mosquitos can produce large outbreaks in the community. That's why prevention is so important and also why the City of Fort Worth partners with the Tarrant County Public Health authority to monitor mosquito activity by trapping, identifying, and testing for various mosquito-transmitted diseases.

Forty sites have been set up throughout the community. Surveillance and testing activities will continue weekly through the end of October.

Here's how residents can protect themselves, their families, and the overall community during this mosquito season.

• Dump any standing water in and around residences by emptying and scrubbing all outdoor containers such as pools, toys, planters, birdbaths, and trash containers. Inspect and clean out gutters of any standing water.
• Mow lawns regularly to prevent them from becoming a breeding spot for mosquitos.
• Inspect lawns after every rain and be sure to empty any containers and address areas where water has collected. Watch for puddles where condensation gathers from the AC unit.
• Install screens on windows and doors and repair holes in screens.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants outdoors and use insect repellents while outdoors. Make sure bug sprays contain active ingredients like DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon/eucalyptus, or any other EPA-approved repellent.

Reach out to the Consumer Health team at 817-392-7255 with questions or comments. Learn more about mosquito prevention, viruses, and other mosquito-related information at the city's mosquito webpage.