The Buzz on Mosquito Control

The annual mosquito control program runs between mid-May and late September (schedules could vary depending on weather conditions) in parternship with Franklin County Public Health (FCPH). FCPH conducts an integrated pest management plan involving four steps: surveillance, outreach and education, prevention and control. Treatment focuses on the control of three species known to carry disease to humans: Culex pipiens, Aedes triseriatus and Aedes albopictus. Mosquito-borne diseases include (but are not limited to) the West Nile virus, La Crosse and St. Louis encephalitis.

Surveillance

FCPH utilizes an extensive surveillance network to understand the quantities and species of mosquitoes impacting a certain area. Westerville has five test locations in zones checked each week. Surveillance information may be found at www.mosquito.myfcph.org/trap-wnv-data/

Prevention

Each resident in Westerville can play a big role in preventing mosquito breeding. During the hot spring and summer months, check around your home and empty sources of standing water. Common sources include bird baths (empty and replace water at least twice per week), old tires, pool covers, empty planters and other containers stored outside.

Another key element of prevention is to treat any long-term standing water that can’t be avoided with larvicide preventing mosquitoes from developing into adults. Treating catch basins, retention ponds and other standing water is the most effective way to minimize the impact of mosquitoes over the summer season.

CONTROL/TREATMENT

If numbers hit a certain threshold or a mosquito-borne disease is detected in a certain area, FCPH will schedule a treatment.

Announcements about treatment plans are made on the City and FCPH websites and social media channels. Be sure to follow:

• www.westerville.org/mosquitocontrol

• mosquito.myfcph.org/

• www.twitter.com/tellwesterville

• www.twitter.com/FC_PublicHealth

You can also sign up for spray notification emails and place “Do Not Spray” requests on FCPH’s website or by calling (614) 525BITE (2483).

About Pollinators: FCPH schedules adulticide treatments for the evening hours when mosquitoes are most active and pollinators like bees and butterflies are less active. They also use larvicides that are nonlethal to honey bees or other pollinators. Unfortunately, there is no perfect solution, which is why prevention is key.

For more information about mosquito control, visit mosquito.myfcph.org or www.westerville.org/mosquito.

DID YOU KNOW?

In 2022, FCPH reported catching more than 95,000 mosquitoes, of which more than 82% were Culex, a species capable of transmitting the West Nile virus.