Bay County Mosquito Control: Remove Standing Water Now

Bay County Mosquito Control is asking residents to remove standing water from their properties as summer approaches and mosquito season peaks. Most mosquitoes breed within a few hundred feet of where they hatch, making backyard prevention critical.

Eric Cope, division manager for Bay County Mosquito Control, said recent rainfall creates ideal breeding conditions. "Residents should walk around their property and remove any standing water they find," Cope said. "Even small amounts of water in flower pots, buckets, gutters, or toys can quickly become mosquito breeding sites."

Common breeding sites include clogged rain gutters, bird baths, pet dishes, flower pots with saucers, abandoned pools, tire swings, and boats or jet skis that collect rainwater.

Bay County monitors activity of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which transmit Zika virus. These species are active during daylight hours and rest at night, making traditional nighttime spraying ineffective.

Bay County Mosquito Control recommends residents follow five prevention steps: avoid being outdoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are active; wear long sleeves and pants; use EPA-approved repellents containing DEET; drain standing water; and mosquito-proof homes and yards.

The Florida Department of Health and Bay County Mosquito Control monitor mosquito-borne diseases including West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis, dengue, chikungunya, and malaria.