1917 Bono Road    New Albany, Indiana 47150 Phone: (812) 948-4726   Fax: (812) 948-2208

"The yardstick by which we measure our prosperity is the health and happiness of our people."

Mosquito Control:

The Floyd County Health Department is working hard to locate mosquito-borne diseases within the county.  Once we identify West Nile, St. Louis encephalitis, or other mosquito-borne diseases, the Health Department begins to work to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and educate residents on how they can prevent mosquito infestations.

You Can Make A Difference

Residents can make an even larger impact than we can by learning how to prevent mosquito populations in the first place.  This website can help to educate on how they can prevent mosquito infestations around their home.

There are many steps that everyone should take to reduce mosquito populations around their home.  While spraying for mosquitoes is sometimes thought of as the first line of defense against mosquitoes, personal protection and eliminating places where mosquitoes breed are the most effective and healthiest ways of preventing mosquito bites.  The more people who are involved, the greater amount of control.

First, protect yourself from bites by using insect repellant or protective clothing.  Some repellants may not be safe for children, so always read instructions before using repellants.  Protection also means avoiding outdoor activity when mosquitoes are most prevalent - at dusk and dawn. 

Second, eliminate mosquitoes at their source - stagnant water.  It takes three to seven days for thousands of mosquitoes to develop in stagnant water.  Below are some helpful suggestions to reduce mosquito breeding sites around your home, apartment or business:

• Remove old tires, buckets or anything that holds standing water, or empty them regularly;

• Reduce runoff of water from sprinkler systems and use additional landscaping to absorb standing water on your property;

• Keep your lawn mowed - mosquitoes typically rest in high grass and weeds;

• Repair leaky pipes and outside faucets;

• Keep rain gutters free of leaves and other debris that can trap water and allow for mosquitoes to breed;

• Treat standing water that can't be drained with a larvicide containing Bti, available at home and garden stores.

Diseases Carried by Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes cause more human suffering than any other organism -- over one million people die from mosquito-borne diseases every year.  Not only can mosquitoes carry diseases that afflict humans, they also transmit several diseases and parasites to dogs and horses.  These include dog heartworm, West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis.  In addition, bites can cause severe skin irritation through allergic reaction to the mosquito's saliva -- this is what causes the red bump and itching.  Mosquito carried diseases include protozoan diseases (malaria), filarial diseases (heartworm) and viruses (dengue, encephalitis, and yellow fever).

There is good information available from the Centers for Disease Control Division of Vector Borne Diseases regarding WNV, as well as the Indiana State Department of Health.