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When you say you've been bitten
by a mosquito, that's not quite accurate. You've been bitten by a female
mosquito. Only the females bite; the males feed on juices and nectar from
flowers and fruit. The female feeds on plant juices too, but they also need
blood in order to lay eggs.
The high pitched humming of a
mosquito is not just an annoying warning to its two legged victims. At certain
levels of pitch it is the female mosquito's mating call, which enables the males
to easily locate the females, even in darkness.
Each female mosquito may lay eggs
as many as 4-5 times during her life span, but before each deposit, she needs a
new supply of blood.
The eggs hatch into larvae,
worm-like organisms that develop in water. So many larvae may hatch at once
that they darken the surface. The larvae mature in about eight days, depending
on the temperature and species. After this, they enter a dormant pupal stage,
and later emerge as adult mosquitoes.
Mosquito Control Begins
At Home
You can greatly decrease mosquito
annoyance in and around your home by eliminating breeding sites that serve as
habitat for mosquito larvae. All mosquitoes need standing water in which to
reproduce. As little as one half-inch of water in a can or container can produce
dozens of mosquitoes.
You can't stop the rain
but you can stop the mosquitoes!
- Wear Repellent
- Wear Light Colored Clothing
- Keep Moving
- Wear Long Pants and Sleeves
- Avoid Swampy Areas
- Call Mosquito Control If You
Have a Problem.
- Stock Water Gardens with Fish
Why Mosquitoes Bite Us
And Why We Shouldn't Let Them
In their quest for blood,
mosquitoes may bite birds, snakes and mammals, including people. Some mosquitoes
have actually become domesticated, living in and around human habitations
exclusively.
A day or so after emerging as an
adult, the female mosquito flies off searching for a blood meal. She homes in on
body warmth, odor, moisture, and the carbon dioxide we exhale. When she bites,
the female injects a bit of saliva that slows coagulation so blood flows freely.
It's your body's reaction that causes the welt and itch later on.
At one time, malaria and yellow
fever scourged this area in repeated epidemics. Fortunately, due to advances in
medicine and sanitation these dread diseases are no longer found here.
Unfortunately, eastern equine encephalitis is still seen and can be extremely
dangerous to the young and elderly. In addition to this, some people are very
allergic to mosquito bites.
Mosquitoes also transmit heart
worms, which can be fatal to dogs and cats.
Why Do We Spray?
To protect the health and welfare
of our citizens from potential mosquito borne diseases.
York County has 43,000 acres of
water, encompassing woodland pools and marshes coupled with many miles of
drainage ditches. Under the proper conditions mosquito populations can increase
greatly. When this occurs, we endeavor to treat standing water with a biological
insecticide. If mosquito populations continue to rise, spray trucks are
dispatched in the evenings when weather permits.
When a serious mosquito
infestation is imminent, arrangements are made for an aerial spray flight. This
cooperative effort is undertaken on a regional basis in cooperation with the
United States Air Force.
All applications are undertaken
by licensed personnel using only EPA registered insecticides. We strive to use
the least toxic pesticides available.
To help minimize inconvenience to
our citizens, we provide spray scheduling information. To find out if your
neighborhood is scheduled for mosquito spraying, call our mosquito hotline at
890-3793 anytime.
A Total Approach To
Mosquito Control
York County has an integrated
mosquito management program which aims to reduce mosquito annoyance with minimal
environmental impact. This program's cornerstone is a combination of
surveillance, source reduction, biological application, judicious chemical
treatment and citizen interaction. It is a process, not a reaction.
The main emphasis is on source
reduction by maintaining many miles of off-road drainage easements.
Unfortunately, many are clogged by leaves and other residential trash deposited
by citizens. This obstructs the natural flow of water and creates a mosquito
breeding situation that may well plague an entire neighborhood. In situations
like this, both local and state codes allow our work crews to correct the
situation at the landowner's expense, if necessary.
Maintaining a high standard of
customer care is a top priority. If you have any questions about mosquito
control or wish to report a mosquito problem, call weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to
3:30 p.m. |
