Heavy rains create ideal habitat for mosquitoes
BY SUZANNE LOUDAMY Staff writer

Along with filling potholes and clearing overgrown ditches, the City of Whitehouse fights another effect of the recent rains: mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes are an almost year-round problem in East Texas, but are especially overwhelming in the summertime. The tremendous amount of rainfall that has fallen during July has created large areas to support mosquito reproduction. Mike Peterson of the City of Whitehouse and the Northeast Texas Public Health District encourage citizens to take measures to eliminate mosquito reproduction areas on their properties and to protect themselves from mosquito-borne disease including West Nile Virus.

"Mosquito breeding sites such as standing water in old tires, bird baths, trash cans, flower pots, pet water bowls, wading pools, and clogged gutters can produce thousands of mosquitoes in a short period of time," said George Roberts Jr., chief executive officer of the Northeast Texas Public Health District. "Draining these sites and cleaning out gutters can reduce the number of mosquitoes around the house and neighborhood tremendously."

Avoiding being out of doors at dusk and dawn will reduce exposure to mosquitoes during their periods of high activity and wearing long sleeves and pants will further minimize the risk of being bitten.

The use of mosquito repellant when out of doors is probably the single most effective means citizens can use to prevent exposure to mosquito-borne disease. DEET is an ingredient to look for in mosquito repellants and has been shown to be effective in preventing bites.

Don't forget your pets. Make sure to visit your veterinarian for heartworm preventative for both cats and dogs.

The City of Whitehouse has the public right of way sprayed weekly. Peterson himself treats standing water in roadside ditches with a chemical "plunk" that kills the mosquito larvae before they hatch.

"The city cannot come on private property," said Peterson. "And it takes everyone to keep the mosquito population under control."

Peterson also reminds swimming pool owners to keep their pools serviced with chlorine and keep the pump running. "If you're not going to use your swimming pool, just drain it, fill it up with dirt and plant some flowers," he added.