The Woodlands Township offers tips to prevent mosquitoes

THE WOODLANDS, Texas – Following recent rains, The Woodlands Township urges residents to check their property for standing water and to empty containers of water to prevent mosquitoes. Standing water is an open invitation for female mosquitoes to lay eggs. Eliminating mosquitoes before they fly is the most effective way to stop the insects. Drain after rain is a simple, yet critical task for homeowners to reduce mosquito populations.

“We urge everyone to inspect their yard and dump out water from household containers or anything that can hold even a miniscule amount of water, like buckets, toys, birdbaths, plant saucers and yard art,” said Lynne Aldrich, manager of environmental services for the Township. Water can also accumulate on spa covers, inside meter boxes, in rain gutters and around downspouts. Areas of standing water that cannot be drained should be treated with mosquito dunks or bits available at home and garden centers. The products contain bti, a biological larvicide.

“When neighbors work together to control breeding sites,” Ms. Aldrich said, “we have the most success in reducing disease-carrying mosquitoes.”

Run-off from overwatering remains a major factor in the proliferation of mosquitoes in the community. Irrigation systems should not run during, and for at least seven days following heavy downpours. Systems that do not have an operating rain sensor should be turned to manual control so the landscape is watered only when needed and no more than twice a week.

“An inch of water a week is best for lawn and landscape according to the turf experts at Texas Agrilife Extension,” Ms. Aldrich noted.

When mosquitoes do become a problem, the Township reminds residents to think of the acronym,WET: Wear repellent; Eliminate breeding sites; Treat where you cannot drain.

For more information about repellents and mosquito abatement or to report mosquito concerns in The Woodlands, please visit www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/mosquitoinfo or call The Woodlands Township at 281-210-3800.