Invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitoes found in North Fair Oaks

Last month, we shared that we had found invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the Friendly Acres neighborhood of Redwood City.

This month, we have found invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in North Fair Oaks.

What are we doing?

• We are doing door-to-door visits of all properties in the area to determine how widely spread the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are.  We are grateful for the continued cooperation of many helpful residents who allowed us access to check their properties. Residents providing access to their properties has played an important part in our ability to determine whether these mosquitoes have spread beyond the initial detection area.
• We've been setting extra traps in the immediate area and nearby areas to determine how widespread the issue is.

What can you do?

• Dump standing water at least once every week. Invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitoes need only a very small amount of water - only a bottle cap size(!) - to lay their eggs. So be sure to check for and dump out any standing water at least once every week around your home.
• Report biting mosquitoes to us at 650-344-8592 or by requesting service online.
• Sign-up for alerts. We have a few different email lists.  If you got this email directly from us, you are on our 'newsletter' distribution list.  If you would also like to receive email notifications about our press releases and/or scheduled mosquito control treatments, you can sign up here.
• Tell friends and neighbors about us! Mosquito prevention is a community-wide effort. Tell your neighbors about the importance of dumping standing water every week, and let them know they should call us if they are getting mosquito bites. Please help spread the word - it can be as easy as forwarding this newsletter!

Check your rain barrel screens and covers

Improperly screened rain barrels can be a BIG source of mosquitoes.  Here are some tips to keep your rain barrel from creating a mosquito issue...

Check your rain barrel screen to be sure there are no tears, holes, or gaps where a small mosquito can enter to lay her eggs. Screens should be fine mesh, and ALL openings need to be covered to prevent mosquitoes from entering.

If you notice mosquito larvae in your rain barrel, you have a few options. You can fix the screen and securely cover any openings with fine mesh screening to prevent mosquitoes from entering and exiting. You can also place a 'mosquito dunk' in your barrel.  Mosquito dunks can be purchased at your local hardware/outdoor/garden store. These dunks contain Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis), a type of bacteria that specifically targets mosquito larvae. Follow the instructions on the packaging. The Bti typically lasts about 1 month, so you will need to add a dunk each month until you are able to securely cover your barrel.  Bti will not harm people, pets and other animals, aquatic life, or other insects, including honeybees.

If you are not sure if little wiggly things in your rain barrel water are mosquito larvae, you can call us!  One of our certified technicians can stop by to check and help you with a custom solution for your rain barrel.  Your taxes pay for our services, so there is no charge for us to stop by to check.  You can fill out a service request or give us a call at 650-344-8592.

West Nile virus activity

To stay up-to-date with West Nile virus information for San Mateo County, visit this page.