Mosquitoes swarm GB
BY LISA NEWELL Gulf Breeze News lisa@gulfbreezenews.com

Submitted photo Santa Rosa County mosquito control workers are stocking deeper ponds, such as the one pictured above in Tiger Point, with larve eating fish.

Elaine Kelly says the mosquitoes behind her daughter's Tiger Point home are unbearable. There is a stagnant ditch behind her home that she's sure is a breeding ground for the pests, and her grandchildren can't even enjoy the yard due to the flying, biting annoyances.

Kelly isn't alone in her frustration about mosquitoes, and two recently reported cases of West Nile Virus found in Bay County make it downright dangerous to be outside during feeding times.

While Santa Rosa County has night crews spraying the county five days a week, day crews are sprinkling roadside ponds with granules to kill larvae and are stocking larvae-eating fish in larger ponds, Santa Rosa County Mosquito Programs Coordinator Keith Hussey said.

Hussey also said homeowners can prevent breeding by eliminating standing water around their houses, with the biggest larvae incubators at most homes being the one-inch trays under outside flower pots.

"There is organic matter in those trays and they are raising them like crazy," Hussey said. He said people use the trays under outdoor flower pots to prevent stains on their concrete, and they inadvertently provide a home for mosquitoes that attack people at the front door, or fly inside the house when the door opens.

Another favorite breeding place for mosquitoes are rain gutters. Once leaves get into the gutters and begin to decompose, there is a lot of damp organic matter that mosquitoes enjoy. Hussey recommends cleaning out the gutters to eliminate the pests' breeding place.

Another breeding spot Hussey finds frequently is on children's outdoor toys. Some toys have a slight indentation where screws are nestled, and the few drops of water that can collect in those nooks are enough to incubate mosquito larvae. Hussey recommends piercing the plastic to allow rainwater to drain out of those collection places.

Sporadic rain and lawn sprinklers can provide the few drops needed to establish a mosquito breeding place, and Hussey recommends that each resident dump water frequently from places where it is collecting. Even tarps covering boats can collect enough moisture from rain or sprinklers to harbor mosquito larvae.

Also, to further prevent bites, Hussey recommends staying indoors at dawn and dusk and wearing a mosquito repellent containing DEET. Furthermore, you should wear clothing that covers most of your skin.

Symptoms of West Nile virus include headache, fever, fatigue, dizziness, weakness, and confusion. Mosquitoes can also spread Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis, St. Louis Encephalitis, malaria and dengue.