Amarillo Rain Could Bring Amarillo Mosquitoes – FIGHT THE BITE!

With the much needed rain we've seen in Amarillo, we risk an increase of a mosquito problem.  Residents need to take action now and fight the bite!  We've got your tips and steps to take in order to make the chance of mosquitoes taking a bite out of you down to a minimum!

First and foremost, check your property for any standing water.  Things like flower pots can collect water.  Anything you have on your property that can collect water needs to be emptied by tomorrow (Friday, May 30th) in order to keep the possible mosquitoes eggs from hatching.
The City of Amarillo’s Department of Environmental Health suggests these three ways you can fight the bite of mosquitoes:

"1. Tip and Toss the water from all containers around your property.

2. Consumer Control – Because community controls cannot reduce mosquito populations to zero, people need to protect themselves as well, particularly on evening outings. There are a wide variety of products available for personal mosquito control including indoor aerosol products and outdoor foggers as well as personal repellents for mosquito control that can be applied directly to the exposed skin or the clothing. At this time, it appears that chemical-based mosquito control products are the most effective, while the mechanical and bug zapping devices are not very effective in controlling mosquitoes.

3. Vegetation Management – Adult mosquitoes prefer to rest on weeds and other vegetation. Homeowners can reduce the number of areas where adult mosquitoes can find shelter by cutting down weeds adjacent to the house foundation and in their yards and mowing the lawn regularly. To further reduce adult mosquitoes harboring in vegetation, insecticides may be applied to the lower limbs of shade trees, shrubs and other vegetation. Always read and follow label directions before using any pesticide."