Did you know that some mosquitoes need as little as a bottle cap’s worth of standing water to lay their eggs and reproduce? Depending on the mosquito species, they can lay anywhere from 50 to 300 eggs.
Since it’s California Mosquito Awareness Week from April 16th – April 22nd, the San Bernardino County Environmental Health Services Mosquito and Vector Control Program (MVCP) encourages residents to take action to prevent mosquito-borne diseases. To reduce the chance of mosquitoes, MVCP has provided the following tips to keep you safe while outside or around your home.
When enjoying the outdoors, be sure to wear shoes, socks, pants, and long-sleeved, loose-fitting shirts. Apply insect repellent and check that it contains DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Also, be on the lookout for bird carcasses; since birds are susceptible to the West Nile virus, any dead birds found in local areas should be reported to assist in monitoring the virus. Report dead birds to the California Department of Public Health’s West Nile Virus Call Center at 1-877-WNV-BIRD or visit westnile.ca.gov for more info.
At home, make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens, so repair or replace screens with any tears or holes. Also, drain or dump standing water around your home where mosquitoes can lay eggs, such as birdbaths, old tires, buckets, flowerpot saucers, clogged gutters, or even puddles from leaky sprinklers. Lastly, repair or drain any pools, ponds, or spas in poor working order. You can report green pools to MVCP by calling (800) 442-2283 or visiting their website at ehs.sbcounty.gov.
