MARYLAND - The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Mosquito Control Program is urging people to help reduce mosquito populations by eliminating standing water on their properties as much as possible.
“Protect yourself and others from mosquito-borne diseases by eliminating potential mosquito breeding sites on your property,” said Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. “If you start now and do it for five minutes every week, then you should be able to greatly reduce the number of biting mosquitoes in your yard.”
The Department says it is imperative to eliminate the mosquitos before they reach adulthood, as some species can live for weeks, including the infamous Asian Tiger Mosquito. The Tiger Mosquito is small and black with a white stripe on its back and white spots on the legs. The majority of these insects fly less than 500 feet, so the Department suggests eliminating their breeding locations can help eliminate them from your yard. Anything that holds rainwater is a possible breeding ground for the Asian Tiger Mosquito, including toys, tarps, and unused swimming pools.
Marylanders can also consider using biorational larvicide in anything that holds water but cannot be dumped. Certain pesticides will only kill mosquito larvae and can be found at most hardware stores and retailers.
Mosquitos can carry a number of dangerous diseases, such as West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis, so reducing their population mitigates not only their nuisance but also the potential spread of these diseases.
For more tips and information on mosquito management, you can visit MDA’s Mosquito Control Program webpage. For information on mosquito-borne diseases and West Nile virus, please visit the Maryland Department of Health’s website.
