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 Friday, November 20, 2009    .:: GOVERNMENT » City Departments (N-Z) » Public Works » Mosquito Control  ::.     Login 
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Mosquito Control

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Location:
405 NW 39th Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32609
Information: (352) 393-8287
Spraying Schedule: (352) 393-8100
Fax: (352) 393-8286

Spray Zones (map and schedule) - updated 11/20/09 

Mosquito Control currently is NOT adulticiding - click on the link above for the map and schedule.

Coming soon!  Gainesville's FAQs!  Click here for EPA responses to mosquito control FAQs.

About the program

The 5 Ds for Protection

What you can do

Helpful Links

 
About the program...


Gainesville Mosquito Control provides service to all citizens living within the City limits of Gainesville. Mosquito Control investigates all citizen inquiries within 24 hours.  This service begins with a site inspection of the citizen's yard, of nearby wooded areas, drainage ditches, swamps, retention ponds and any known local breeding sites. 

Mosquito Control is regulated by Federal, State and local laws. These laws determine exactly when and how Gainesville controls its mosquito population. Gainesville Mosquito Control is under the auspices of the City of Gainesville's Public Works Department (Operations Division). The program is primarily funded by a percentage of the stormwater management utility (SMU) fee. Citizens pay this fee monthly as part of their utility bill.

Gainesville Mosquito Control uses an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) philosophy when controlling the mosquito population in Gainesville. IPM combines a variety of mechanical (eliminating the water in which the mosquitoes need to breed), biological (using mosquitofish and bacteria to control mosquito larval populations) and chemical control techniques (using adulticides to control adult mosquito populations) to provide a more effective approach for the control of mosquitoes. Mosquito Control inspects over 500 breeding sites each month using IPM techniques. Mosquitoes have a 'sense of smell' and usually do not like the 'smell' of a swimming pool - especially when they can lay their eggs in ditch or swamp water.  Most pools will not be breeding because of this preference (however, swimming pools may be breeding many beneficials - like dragonflies - whose adult and larval stages will feed on adult and larval stages of mosquitoes).  Recent statistics suggest that only 1 out of 100 swimming pools will actually breed mosquitoes.  Click here for more information about mosquito control and IPM.

 
Why mosquitoes need water...

All mosquitoes must have water to develop. Most species prefer slow-moving or stagnant water in which to lay their eggs. Chances are - if the water if flowing - it is not breeding mosquitoes.  One tablespoon of water will breed over 200 mosquitoes! During warm weather mosquitoes can complete their life cycle in 3-4 days. Only the female mosquito bites - she needs a blood meal to fertilize her eggs. The itching of a mosquito bite is caused by a small amount of saliva that the female injects to prevent the blood from clotting so that it is easier for her to collect your blood. 

Eggs turn into mosquito larvae or "wigglers" that can grow quickly. The larvae turn into pupae or "tumblers" which in turn hatch into adult mosquitoes. These life cycle stages can easily be seen in the water. The adult mosquito hatches shortly after becoming a pupa (the male mosquitoes usually hatch first, but the females are never far behind).

Adult female mosquito laying an egg raft Mosquito egg raft Mosquito larvae or 'wigglers'
     
Mosquito pupae or 'tumblers' Adult mosquito hatching from a pupa Landing rate count

 

The 5 Ds for Protection...

  • Dusk and Dawn: This is when the mosquitoes are most active.  Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are seeking blood, for many species this occurs during dusk and dawn hours.
  • Dress: Wear clothing that covers the skin.  This means long sleeves, long pants, and socks.  Cover as much skin as possible with clothing.
  • DEET: When danger for exposure to mosquito bites exists, you should use a repellent containing DEET.  Products with concentrations up to 30% DEET are generally recommended for most situations.  It is not recommended to use DEET on children less than 2 months old.  Instead, infants should be kept indoors or mosquito netting should be used over carriers when mosquitoes are present.  If additional protection is necessary, apply a permethrin repellent directly to your clothing.  ATTENTION:  Always read the manufacturer's directions carefully before you put on a repellent (click here for CDC information on DEET, click here for EPA information on DEET, and click here for updated EPA information about insect repellents).
  • Drainage: Check your home and backyard to rid it of shaded, wet places in which mosquitoes can lay their eggs. 
 Diseases...

Click here for West Nile Virus information.

 
 Fighting back Minimize

The most effective means of reducing mosquitoes around the home is to eliminate their breeding habitats. Nine out of ten citizen inquiries received by Mosquito Control are made by citizens who are unknowingly raising their own mosquitoes! You, too, may be raising your own!

What you can do:  CHECK YOUR YARD!

  • empty, remove or cover any receptacle that would hold water - particularly old bottles, tin cans, junk and tires
  • repair leaky pipes and outside faucets
  • screen rain barrels and openings to water tanks and limit the amount of collected rain water to water plants
  • cover or turn small boats upside down and keep all water pumped from the bilge
  • change water in wading pools, bird baths, pet dishes and vases holding flowers or cuttings twice a week
  • clean clogged roof gutters of all debris and drain flat roofs & all tarps
  • fill holes in trees with sand or mortar, or drain or spray them as needed
  • fix or replace screen on doors and windows
  • stock ornamental ponds with mosquito larvae eating fish (call Mosquito Control to make fish delivery arrangements)

Mosquito Control recommends...

  • yellow bug light
  • Bti and Bs (bacillus) products
  • repellents that include DEET (click here for more information)
  • certain barrier type adult sprays
  • mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis)
  • handheld or backpack portable foggers

Mosquito Control does not recommend...

  • bug zappers (click here for information)
  • ultrasonic (acoustic) repellent devices (click here for information)
  • electronic repellent devices
  • citrosa plants
  • pic coils
  • citronella candles or torches
  • "miracle" powders, liquids, sprays or other fly-by-night products

Spraying - a last resort...

Mosquito Control determines where and when to adulticide (spray) based on the following guidelines:

  • Light traps must contain 25 or more adult mosquitoes. Mosquito Trap
  • Citizen complaints must be received.
  • Landing rate counts must exceed 3 mosquitoes landing per minute.

These guidelines are set forth by the Florida Legislature in Florida Statute Chapter 388. A light trap is a device that uses dry ice and a light source to attract adult mosquitoes. A fan draws the mosquitoes down into a collection bag. The collection bags are collected every day and the mosquitoes are counted and identified. A landing rate is the number of mosquitoes that land on an individual within a set amount of time (usually one minute).

The Gainesville city limits are divided into 16 light trap/adulticiding zones. Each zone has one permanent and one floating light trap. Light traps and landing rate counts are monitored Monday through Thursday. Zones with light trap counts of 25 or more mosquitoes and landing rate counts of 3 per minute or citizen complaints are scheduled to be adulticided.

A computerized ULV (Ultra-Low-Volume) sprayer is used to disperse a chemical that affects only adult mosquitoes. The computer measures the chemical and will shut off automatically if the truck is traveling too fast or too slowly or dispersing too much or too little chemical. Spraying is the least effective and most expensive method of mosquito control.Mosquito Spray

Mosquito Control uses several products with which to adulticide, but Aqua-Reslin is used for the majority of our adulticiding work.  For more information on Aqua-Reslin (including a label and MSDS) click here.

Spraying hours are usually between 4 - 7 AM and 7 PM - 1 AM.  You may call Mosquito Control at (352) 393-8100 for recorded spraying schedule message.  The message states in which zone(s) Mosquito Control will be spraying over the next few days. Call (352) 393-8287 for more information.

 

Spray Zones (map and schedule)

Click the "On/Off" button to toggle between the standard City map and the highlighted zone map. The newly annexed SW 20th Avenue area has been put in Zone 14.  Using your right mouse button, you may zoom in and out on the map for more or less detail. Requires Macromedia Flash Player 5.

 

ADULTICIDING SCHEDULE (7:00 PM - 12:00 AM): 

Monday, October 19 - Sunday, October 25 - no adulticiding

Monday, October 12 - Sunday, October 18 - no adulticiding

Monday, October 5 - Sunday October 11 - no adulticiding

Monday, September 28 - Sunday, October 4 - no adulticiding

Monday, September 21 - Sunday, September 27 - no adulticiding

Monday, September 14 - Sunday, September 20 - no adulticiding

Monday, September 7 - Sunday, September 13 - no adulticiding

Monday, August 31 - Sunday, September 6 - no adulticiding

Monday, August 24 - Sunday, August 30 - no adulticiding

Monday, August 17 - Sunday, August 23 - no adulticiding

Monday, August 10 - Sunday, August 16 - no adulticiding

Monday, August 3 - Sunday, August 9 - no adulticiding

Monday, July 27 - Sunday, August 2 - no adulticiding

Monday, July 20 - Sunday, July 26 - no adulticiding

Monday, July 13 - Sunday, July 19 - no adulticiding

Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, July 10-12 - no adulticiding

** Re-evaluation of adulticiding schedule based on rainfall

Thursday, July 9 - Zones 12 & 13

Wednesday, July 8 - Zones 1, 14, & 15

Tuesday, July 7 - Zones 9, 10, & 11

Monday, July 6 - Zones 5 & 6 (Zone 6 was rescheduled from Wednesday)

Thursday, Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, July 2-5 - no adulticiding

Wednesday, July 1 - Zones 6, 13, & 16

Tuesday, June 30 - Zones 7, 8, 9, & 10

Monday, June 29 - Zones 2,4 & 5

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, June 26-28 - no adulticiding

Thursday, June 25 - Zones 9, 10, & 14

Wednesday, June 24 - Zones 1 & 13

Tuesday, June 23 - Zones 11 & 12

Monday, June 22 - Zones 3, 6, & 15

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, June 19-21 - no adulticiding

Thurday, June 18 - Zones 3, 9, 10, 14, & 16 (Zone 3 rescheduled)

Wednesday, June 17 - Zones 1, 2, 4, & 15 (Zone 15 incomplete, rescheduled)

Tuesday, June 16 - Zones 5, 6, & 7 (Zone 6 incomplete, rescheduled)

Monday, June 15 - Zones 11, 12, & 13

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, June 12-14 - no adulticiding

Thursday, June 11 - Zones 3, 10 & 14

Wednesday, June 10 - Zones 1, 13, & 15

Tuesday, June 9 - Zone 11

Monday, June 8 - Zones 9, 10 & 16

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, June 5-7 - no adulticiding

Thursday, June 4 - Zones 9, 10, 13, & 16 (not completed, some parts rescheduled)

 Wednesday, June 3 - Zones 9, 10, & 16 - RAINED OUT/RESCHEDULED

 
Frequently Asked Questions...

Q: How do I recognize a mosquito and make sure that's what biting me?

A: Mosquitoes are insects with long, slender bodies, narrow wings with a fringe of scales on the bottom, and long, very thin legs.  The long, protruding mouthpart is a proboscis which can be as long as the antenna.  Sand flies, stable or dog flies, midges, gnats and no-see-ums are all very different in appearance (shape and size) from a mosquito.  Click here to see an adult mosquito Click here to see a mosquito's proboscis.

Q: How many kinds of mosquitoes are there?

A: There are over 3,000 different species of mosquitoes throughout the world.  Florida has 78 mosquito species - 30 of which occur throughout the entire state.  Gainesville is home to 42 different species of mosquitoes.  Each type of mosquito has a common name and a scientific name which includes a genus and a species name.  The Asian tiger mosquito or container mosquito is the common name for Aedes albopictus.  Aedes is the genus and albopictus is the species. 

Helpful links:

For mosquito information:

Alachua County Public Works - www.alachuacounty.us/government/depts/pw

Alachua County Health Department - www.doh.state.fl.us/chdalachua.aspx

American Mosquito Control Association - www.mosquito.org

EPA information - http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/health/mosquitoes/mosquito.htm

FAMU's PHEREC Lab - www.pherec.org 

Florida Mosquito Control Association - www.floridamosquito.org  

Florida Mosquito Control White Paper - http://mosquito.ifas.ufl.edu/Mosquito_Control_White_Paper.htm

UF's Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory - http://fmel.ifas.ufl.edu/FMELstart.htm

USDA's CMAVE in Gainesville - www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=66-15-00-00

Wikipedia information -  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito_control

 

For butterfly information:

Butterfly World - http://www.butterflyworld.com/start.html

Florida Museum of Natural History - www.flmnh.ufl.edu

Gainesville's butterfly exhibit - www.flmnh.ufl.edu/butterflies

McGuire Center for Lepidoptera & Biodiversity - www.flmnh.ufl.edu/mcguire

North American Butterfly Association - http://www.naba.org/

The Butterfly Estates - http://thebutterflyestates.com/public/welcome.asp

University of Florida Extension Office - http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/TOPIC_Butterflies

Your Florida Backyard - http://www.nsis.org/

 

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