As the temperatures rise in Louisiana so do mosquito populations. Today, Bossier City’s Department of Public Works is beginning its yearly mosquito control efforts to reduce the possible threat of the West Nile virus and other mosquito borne diseases. Three of Bossier City’s four mosquito control spray trucks will begin rolling through neighborhoods this evening around 6:30 p.m. The Mosquito Control Division follows a Monday through Thursday schedule to spray all areas of Bossier City, https://www.bossiercity.org/224/Herbicide-Mosquito-Control-Division. The fourth truck is used to spray problem areas as needed. Mosquito control spraying is postponed during rainy weather.
As the City of Bossier City implements its mosquito control plan, residents are urged to do their part. The Louisiana Department of Health recommends the following. https://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/page/1930
- If you will be outside, you should wear a mosquito repellent containing DEET. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that repellents should contain no more than 30 percent DEET when used on children. Insect repellents also are not recommended for children younger than 2 months of age. CDC recommends that you always follow the recommendations appearing on the product label when using repellent. Apply repellent on exposed skin and clothing. Do not apply under your clothes or on broken skin.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors for long periods of time.
- Avoid perfumes and colognes when outdoors for extended periods of time.
- Make sure that your house has tight-fitting windows and doors, and that all screens are free of holes.
- Eliminate standing water around your home, which is where mosquitoes breed. Dispose of tin cans, ceramic pots and other unnecessary containers that have accumulated on your property. Turn over wheelbarrows, plastic wading pools, buckets, trash cans, children's toys or anything that could collect water.
- Check and clean roof gutters routinely.
- Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish.
- Clean and treat swimming pools that are not being used. Be aware that mosquitoes may even breed in the water that collects on swimming pool covers.