Living with Mosquitoes? By Kirsten Conrad Buhls

We don't like it but it's a fact of life in Northern Virginia that mosquitoes are here to share the planet with us. They say that it takes a village, and interested, well informed, and active residents can do much to work together to control disease carrying insects in our community. Here is an update on mosquito identification, disease risks and control.

Arlington's greatest nuisance mosquito is the Asian Tiger Mosquito (ATM) Aedes albopictus is a black mosquito with white markings on the body and legs. The female ATM is a very aggressive daytime biter whose favorite meal is human blood though she will also feed on mammals and birds. Breeding sites include any artificial containers that hold water for 7 days or more. The ATM looks for water in tires, buckets, flower pots/trays, gutters, and especially the black corrugated drainpipes that are used to take water away from our downspouts. They will hang out anywhere that is cool, humid and shady. Ivy and azaleas and other bushes are her favorite resting places. The Asian Tiger Mosquito CAN transmit West Nile virus, but they are not very good at it. These insects do not travel far from their breeding sites.
Check your yard for ANY kind of container that may be holding water.

The Culex or brown Woods Mosquito likes to spend time in trees, bushes and tall grass where it's cool and humid during the day. This is the one most likely to be biting you in the evening or at night, but she is really shy and not aggressive. The Woods Mosquito is so sneaky you might not even notice if she bites you, but these are the most important mosquitoes in the West Nile Virus disease cycle. Although she prefers birds, the woods mosquito will occasionally feed on mammals including humans and horses that can get sick when they become infected with the virus. Culex's preferred breeding sites include stagnant, organic, nutrient rich water that stands for more than a week. Catch basins for storm drains, clogged rain gutters, hollowed out stumps and persistent puddles will be favorite places for her to lay her eggs.

Stop mosquitoes by eliminating breeding sites around your house. Every week, make sure that containers like flowerpots, watering cans, buckets, toys and trash cans are dumped out. Check unused trailers, boats, and other
vehicles that are parked outside to make sure they are not holding water. If you have a flat roof, make sure to check that water does not stand for more than 7 days. Tip out and refill bird baths once a week. Make sure that outdoor covers like the one on your wood pile or grill and outdoor furniture are not holding water. Make sure that corrugated drain pipes are draining freely and not collecting water. Make sure that leaves and tree debris are not blocking your downspouts and gutters. Filter, aerate, or treat ornamental ponds to prevent Larvae buildup. Fill any low spots in your landscape that hold water for more than a week. Check window and door screening to make sure they are in good shape. Work with your neighbors to make sure that everyone is doing their part to remove standing water.

Treat yourself and your children with effective and safe DEET based repellants that are available in aerosols, pump sprays, wipes, and lotions. DEET repels mosquitoes and ticks and formulations containing up to 30% concentration are safe to use on children over 2 months of age. DEET based products are recommended by the Arlington Health Department and the CDC for control of disease carrying insects. Picaridin is another synthetic repellant that is less effective against ticks but like DEET, its ability to repel mosquitoes is based on the concentration of active ingredient. Oil of Eucalyptus is a natural plant based repellant derived from tree leaves. Its effectiveness is equivalent to low concentrations of DEET, but it should not be used on children under 3 years of age. When applying repellant to
yourself and to children, do not spray the face; apply repellant onto hands and then wipe exposed skin with your hands. Avoid eyes and mouth and use sparingly around these areas. http://offices.ext.vt.edu/ches...dlife/Fight_the_Bite. pdf

What is a Mosquito Dunk? A dunk is donut shaped cake of material that contains a bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_thuringiensis> serovar <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serovar> israelensis (Bti) When submerged in water, Bti releases a toxin that selectively kills insects of the fly family
(Dipterans) including mosquitoes, gnats, and blackflies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B...ngiensis_israelensis Products containing formulations of Bti are available widely. The dunks may be broken up into pieces that are appropriate for the size of the area being treated. The ring shape allows them to be fastened down so that they do not float or wash away. They can also be hung in water using net bags. Replace as they dissolve away.

This article draws from the information and photos, control strategies, and mosquito life cycle facts can be found in this excellent publication: http://www.arlingtonva.us/depa...Health/file64967.pdf

Here is the Arlington County Health Department link on mosquitoes and ticks: http://www.arlingtonva.us/depa...mosquitocontrol.aspx

Kirsten Conrad Buhls
Agriculture Natural Resources Extension Agent
Virginia Cooperative Extension
3308 S Stafford St.
Arlington VA 22206

703 228 6423

kbuhls@vt.edu

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