Second larvicide drop set for May 17 and 18

SAN DIEGO COUNTY – San Diego County is scheduled to conduct its second routine aerial larvicide drop of the year May 17 and 18 on up to 51 local waterways, including Lake Rancho Viejo, to help stop mosquitoes from potentially spreading diseases like West Nile virus.

The county started using helicopters to drop solid, granular larvicide on hard-to-reach areas of standing water in rivers, streams, ponds and other waterways where mosquitoes can breed in the early 2000s after West Nile virus arrived. The County conducts the aerial larvicide drops roughly once a month from April through October.

The larvicide does not hurt people or pets but kills mosquito larvae before they can grow into biting mosquitoes.

West Nile virus is mainly a bird disease. However, mosquitoes can pass the potentially deadly virus on to people by feeding on infected birds and then biting people.

Residents can protect themselves from mosquito-borne illnesses by wearing long sleeves and pants or use insect repellent when outdoors. They should use insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535. Make sure screens on windows and doors are in good condition and secured to keep insects out.

Report increased mosquito activity, or stagnant, unmaintained swimming pools and other mosquito-breeding sources, as well as dead birds – dead crows, ravens, jays, hawks and owls – to the County Department of Environmental Health and Quality’s Vector Control Program by calling (858) 694-2888 or emailing [email protected].

Also report if anyone is being bitten by mosquitoes during daylight hours, or if they find mosquitoes that look like invasive Aedes mosquitoes – small, black with white stripes on legs and backs – by contacting the Vector Control Program at 858-694-2888.

Submitted by the County of San Diego.