In Westchester County, mosquitoes are prevalent from early summer to late fall when the weather is warmest. This is also the time of year when families spend the most time outdoors, and are most susceptible to itchy bites and exposure to mosquito-born diseases. To combat the ill affects of these pesky insects, the Westchester County Health Department is offering residents free mosquito prevention resources and education on six Mosquito Control Days in May.
The hope is to eliminate mosquito-breeding sites in the area and prevent the spread of West Nile Virus and other mosquito-borne diseases. The Health Department is offering residents free minnows and mosquito dunks to help prevent mosquitoes from breeding on Westchester residents’ property. For those with ornamental ponds, minnows can be added to the water to keep it from becoming a mosquito-breeding site, while the mosquito dunks serve the same purpose in birdbaths, rain barrels and unused pools.
The Health Department will be giving out free minnows and mosquito dunks to residents on the following dates and times:
· Wednesday – Friday, May 4-6, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
· Thursday – Friday, May 19-20, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
· Saturday, May 21, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Residents with ponds who want the minnows should bring a bucket or pail to 2 Loop Road at the Westchester County Airport. The building is the first right from the airport access road. Minnows will be distributed in watertight plastic bags, and residents should plan to brig them straight home and release them into ponds with at least eight inches of water.
Health Department staff will be available to answer questions and show residents what they can do to protect themselves and their families from mosquitoes. They will also be handing out “Keep Healthy and Bug Off” brochures, which offer advice on how to prevent mosquito bites and eliminate standing water around homes.
“If we use all the available strategies, we can minimize our exposure to mosquito bites and reduce the mosquito population in Westchester, but we need residents to help,” says Health Commissioner Sherlita Amler, MD.
To learn more about mosquito prevention, visit health.westchestergov.com.
