The Allegheny County Health Department has begun its “spring offensive” against mosquito larvae, officials announced Monday.
In April and May, workers with the department’s Housing and Community Environment Program will treat more than 50 local wetlands and 13,500 storm drains and catch basins in Pittsburgh, Bellevue, Millvale, McKees Rocks, Mount Oliver, and Wilkinsburg. Stagnant water provides popular breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
These treatments “are some of the most effective,” Nick Bladauf, a county vector control specialist, said in a statement. “This allows us to stop mosquitoes from ever becoming the flying, biting pests people dread.”
The health department will use Altosid XR, a larvicide deemed safe for humans, pets, and aquatic life, but deadly for mosquitoes.
“It’s much easier and more environmentally responsible to control mosquitoes while they’re still larvae,” said Housing and Community Environment Program Manager Tim Murphy.
The county typically launches a similar effort in the summer targeting adult mosquitos, but early interventions like the spring program reduce nuisance bites and eliminate the potential spread of diseases that pose serious health threats, like the West Nile Virus.
Officials said public participation is key for curbing the mosquito population. Mosquitoes can breed in as little as a half inch of stagnant water, so residents should remove standing water in tires, unused swimming pools, buckets, and clogged gutters. In the warmer months, adding screens to open doors and windows, and using insect repellant (especially at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active) can also help protect people from mosquitoes.
Residents are encouraged to report potential breeding grounds to the Health Department online or by calling 412-350-4046.
