Residents of Miramar, West Park, and Pembroke Park should take note: Mosquito Control Section is rolling out trucks to tackle the buzzing nuisances from July 23 through July 26, hoping the weather plays nice. In these nightly operations, between 10PM and 6AM, the sound of sprayers will mingle with the chorus of nocturnal life as crews dispense VectoBac WDG, aimed at larvae of those disease-carrying critters, the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. These mosquitoes, vectors known for dishing out dengue, yellow fever, and chikungunya, find their humble beginnings in the unassuming pools of water we neglect in our backyards.
But fear not, for VectoBac WDG is a friend to more than just humans. With Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) at its core, this larvicide promises no ill-effects to your pets, the bees that gardeners adore, aquatic life, or those patches of land we've earmarked as environmentally sensitive. Certified organic and given the nod by the US Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization, this larvicide seems to tick all the right boxes. Furthermore, as detailed in a statement released yesterday by the county website, Broward County stays in lockstep with the Florida Department of Health and Code Enforcement to curb the mosquito populace and their breeding sites.
Still, county officials can't wage this war alone. They call upon property owners to scan their landscapes diligently – to flip over those buckets, empty the tires, tip out planters, and scrub clean birdbaths and fountains. Neglect leads to standing water which, in turn, becomes a nursery for mosquitoes, perpetuating a cycle of disease potential. By breaking this cycle, we stand to diminish the number of adult mosquitoes ready to take flight.
When the pesky whine of mosquitoes becomes too much to bear, residents have options. Reach out by dialing 311 or find relief through the online Mosquito Service Request Form. Spraying for mosquitoes is just one facet of the Highway and Bridge Maintenance Division's mission – a team dedicated to the well-being of Broward County's roads, drawbridges, and the control of its mosquito population. For more on their services, dial 954-357-6040.
