How do you control mosquitoes?
Chatham County Mosquito Control follows the principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to manage mosquito populations in the area. IPM uses many different approaches to pest control, with no overreliance on any one type of control. This approach creates more cost-effective solutions that are better for the environment, while minimizing the chance of pesticide resistance developing in susceptible populations.
An IPM strategy within mosquito control utilizes four different methods: source reduction, biological, mechanical, and chemical. These are further broken down into whether they target the baby mosquito (larva), adult mosquito, or prevent the emergence of mosquitoes in the first place.
How do you keep track of the mosquito population, other than citizen complaints?
Mosquito traps are set in several areas of the county every Monday-Thursday afternoon during the mosquito season. They are collected the following morning, and any mosquitoes caught are identified and counted.
Technicians will also collect adult mosquito landing rate data while in the field, especially when doing an inspection in response to a citizen request. They will record how many mosquitoes land on them within a designated time period.