Mosquito Control At Home

Remember the 3 D's of Mosquito Bite Prevention!

​Drain​ - Empty out containers around the yard at least once a week! Put holes into containers that regularly hold water to allow them to drain. Check and clean out gutters. Flush out or treat birdbaths and bromeliads.

Dress - Wear appropriate clothing during mosquito season and at the peak hours of dawn and dusk. Long sleeves and long pants are recommended, as well as wearing light-colored clothing which is less likely to attract mosquitoes than darker colors.

Defend - Wear an EPA approved repellent and reapply according to the label. Approved repellents include those containing DEET, Picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.

Personal Protection

To prevent mosquitoes from coming into your home:

• Be sure all window and door screens are in good repair with no holes or tears.
• Equip the doors, especially screened doors, with a self-closing apparatus.
• Encourage “good” bugs to hang out in your yard by avoiding bug zappers and similar gadgets. They kill the beneficial bugs and attract mosquitoes to your yard.

To prevent mosquitoes from biting you:

• Stay indoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active. If you must be out, wear long sleeves and long pants with socks.
• Use mosquito repellent if you are going out during mosquito peak hours. Avoid wearing perfume, cologne, or scented lotions as they may attract mosquitoes.
• Try using various repellent plants, candles, coils, and area repellents outdoors to help around pools, porches, or patios where there is little air movement. These should not, however, be used indoors.
• Utilize a fan in outdoor seating areas to help keep mosquitoes off you.

What You Can Do to Help

We all must work together to reduce the sites where mosquitoes can breed. By eliminating breeding sites around your house and property, you can play a role in mosquito control by helping to reduce the local mosquito population. Some species of mosquitoes can breed in as little as ½ inch of standing water! Here is a list of places to look for around your property:

Drain standing water:

• Garbage cans
• Pool covers
• Flower pots
• Buckets and watering cans
• Kiddie pools

Avoid mosquito breeding:

• Discard old tires, bottles, pots, broken appliances, and other items that may collect water.
• Empty and clean birdbaths and pets’ water bowls at least twice a week.
• Remove leaves and other items that can hold small amounts of water.
• Protect boats and vehicles from rain with tarps that do not accumulate water.
• Maintain swimming pools in good condition and with appropriate chlorination.

Free Mosquito Fish Program

Mosquito Control provides Gambusia holbrooki (mosquito fish) free to Charlotte County residents. Personnel have used them as part of a biological control effort, releasing them into flooded woods, ditches, and abandoned swimming pools.

If you are interested in getting some mosquito fish for your property, please call the mosquito control hotline at 941.764.4370. A biological team member will perform an inspection to determine the number of fish needed before bringing them out to you for release.