Dot
04-07-2008, 04:29 PM
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19443430&BRD=1377&PAG=461&dept_id=172922&rfi=6
Above is a link to the article, but please read the excerpts below.
"It's the little puddles more than the big ponds," she said. "We
don't have an increase in West Nile cases around the reservoir every
year -- it doesn't breed mosquitoes."
Currier said mosquitoes breed mostly in smaller sources of still
water, like small ponds and ditches and any overturned container or
crevice that catches water.
"Get rid of those containers," she said. "Places where mosquitoes
breed are usually small puddles that don't move and have a lot of
organic material in them, like old vegetation. It's the little puddle
in the tire swing, in the bird feeder -- that standing water in the ditch."
Currier recommended declaring biological warfare on mosquito breeding
pools with a product called mosquito dunks, which can be purchased at
feed stores.
Mosquito dunks, while in the water, slowly release a biological
mosquito larvaecide composed of the bacteria _Bacillus thuringiensis_
subspecies _israelenses_ (BTI). BTI remains active in the water for
30 days, killing mosquito and black fly larvae before they hatch.
It is recommended to use one mosquito dunk per 100 square feet (9.3
sq m) of water.
"It's an ecologically sound bacterium -- it doesn't hurt frogs, fish,
or other bugs," Currier said. "You just throw them in the water and
they dissipate on their own. You can even throw them down the storm
drain and into sewers."
Currier said mosquito dunks were more effective than using
insecticide to kill adult mosquitoes. "Spraying is not the most
important piece," she said. "Mosquito dunks decrease the mosquito
population before it matures."....
"Most small towns have a clean-up day every now and then," Goddard
said. "Emphasize the junk along the highway -- artificial containers
like bottles and potato chip bags. Mosquitoes breed in that stuff."
Above is a link to the article, but please read the excerpts below.
"It's the little puddles more than the big ponds," she said. "We
don't have an increase in West Nile cases around the reservoir every
year -- it doesn't breed mosquitoes."
Currier said mosquitoes breed mostly in smaller sources of still
water, like small ponds and ditches and any overturned container or
crevice that catches water.
"Get rid of those containers," she said. "Places where mosquitoes
breed are usually small puddles that don't move and have a lot of
organic material in them, like old vegetation. It's the little puddle
in the tire swing, in the bird feeder -- that standing water in the ditch."
Currier recommended declaring biological warfare on mosquito breeding
pools with a product called mosquito dunks, which can be purchased at
feed stores.
Mosquito dunks, while in the water, slowly release a biological
mosquito larvaecide composed of the bacteria _Bacillus thuringiensis_
subspecies _israelenses_ (BTI). BTI remains active in the water for
30 days, killing mosquito and black fly larvae before they hatch.
It is recommended to use one mosquito dunk per 100 square feet (9.3
sq m) of water.
"It's an ecologically sound bacterium -- it doesn't hurt frogs, fish,
or other bugs," Currier said. "You just throw them in the water and
they dissipate on their own. You can even throw them down the storm
drain and into sewers."
Currier said mosquito dunks were more effective than using
insecticide to kill adult mosquitoes. "Spraying is not the most
important piece," she said. "Mosquito dunks decrease the mosquito
population before it matures."....
"Most small towns have a clean-up day every now and then," Goddard
said. "Emphasize the junk along the highway -- artificial containers
like bottles and potato chip bags. Mosquitoes breed in that stuff."