Precautions to Protect Against Mosquito Borne illnesses and Nuisances

 

New Jersey is home to a few dozen mosquito species. Some species are harmless and easy to get rid of, while others can pose serious health risks. Mosquitoes can carry diseases such as Zika virus, West Nile virus and Eastern equine encephalitis.

 

• Mosquito season in New Jersey is generally between April and late October, but there is no specific start or end date. 
• Mosquitoes are most active during the warm and humid months of late spring through summer and into early fall.
• Mosquitos are most active at dawn and at dusk.

 

Simple Mosquito Control Tips For Your Home

 

How much water do you think it takes for a mosquito to breed? Surprisingly, a mosquito can breed in a half a cup of water. Addressing stagnant water in your yard can make it more difficult for mosquitoes to breed.

 

• Pick up toys and store them inside.
• Keep your mower stored in the shed or the garage.
• Fix leaky spigots or hoses in your yard.
• Trim tree branches to allow sunlight to dry areas that get too much shade.
• Inspect your gutters for obstructions that cause water to pool up.
• Repair broken downspouts on your gutter system.
• Empty kiddie pool at least once every week or turn it over when it is not being used.
• Empty buckets, toys, wagons, tires, bird baths or other items one to two times a week. For tire swings,  poke a hole in the tire to give the rainwater a channel to get to the ground and dry up.
• If covering items with a tarp, make sure the tarp is pulled taut so it isn’t collecting water.  
• Add a pump to bird baths or ornamental ponds to circulate the water. Mosquitoes prefer stagnant water. This will resist development. You may also add a larvicide to the water to make this location unusable for breeding.
• Maintain swimming pools, the circulation systems and chlorine levels. Close pools properly when not in use by placing a tight fitting and or sloped pool cover that will not allow water to collect on it and also  completely covers the water in the pool. 

 

All of the Morris County Division of Mosquito Control area wide treatments are listed on their website at www.morrismosquito.org.