OCEAN COUNTY – There are plenty of places for mosquitoes to breed around your property, and the Ocean County Mosquito Extermination Commission offered tips to prevent the spread of the parasites.
Mosquitoes breed in places with standing water like open buckets, open trashcans, clogged gutters, tarps, saucers under planter pots, corrugated drains, kids’ toys, tires, pool covers, unused pools, and birdbaths.
“If an object can hold water for four to five days, it can be a problem,” said Ocean County Freeholder Deputy Director Gary Quinn, who is liaison to the Ocean County Mosquito Extermination Commission. “These mosquitoes can often be found in water amounts as small as a bottle cap, which makes dumping standing water simple and the most effective way for controlling mosquitoes.”
Horse owners are being urged to properly vaccinate their horses for West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis.
In previous years, the Commission would be able to do yard audits to inform a member of the public how to prevent the spread of mosquitoes on their property, but that is not being done this year due to COVID-19.
“Residents need to be aware of locations that may serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes in their yards,” Quinn said. “With over 40 different species of mosquitoes found in Ocean County, it is imperative to do what you can to limit the chance of mosquitoes.”
Since 1913, the Ocean County Mosquito Extermination Commission has been working to keep the parasites at bay. They inspect and treat areas like swamps, wood pools, roadside ditches, retention/detention basins, catch basins, and saltmarshes. Ground crews track rainfall and are dispatched to areas that need the most attention, and the helicopters check approximately 80 spots at least twice a week, doing treatments on saltmarsh areas and any inland areas that are too big to treat from the ground.
There are 60 spots throughout the county where the adult mosquito population is counted. Rainfall counts are taken at 19 spots. The state has 28 light traps.
Mosquitoes are trapped and tested for West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, St. Louis Encephalitis, and Jamestown Canyon Virus.
“Controlling the mosquito population has come a long way over the years,” said Ocean County Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari. “These methods are conducted in ways that allow for the highest level of safety to protect humans, non-target species, and the environment.”
For more information on the Ocean County Mosquito Extermination Commission, call 609-698-8271 or visit oceancountymosquito.org.
