Friday, March 29, 2024

Residents Should Continue to Protect Themselves from West Nile after Spraying

The first ground spraying for mosquitoes this season in Southlake took place last night in a ½ mile radius of a trap set at 700 Greymoor Place, located south of Rockenbaugh Elementary School. The City was notified on Wednesday that a mosquito sample had tested positive at this site for the West Nile Virus. The City made the decision to ground spray, using Permanone, Thursday night (9/12) in accordance with the City’s West Nile Virus Action Plan.

Public Works Director Bob Price reminds residents that spraying—otherwise known as adulticiding, serves as an excellent reactive defense towards a positive sample for West Nile Virus. However, the most effective long-term plan of action is prevention and protection. Residents should continue to protect themselves from mosquitoes by remembering the 4Ds:

  • Drain: Anything that can hold more than a teaspoon of water for just a few days can become a mosquito breeding ground. Be sure to check your property for standing water. In addition to checking small containers, house gutters and French drains, staff encourages you to check for areas such as your water meter box, any tree holes, blocked irrigation heads, gutter drains and other underground pipes, pool overflow pipes, storm drains for the presence of standing water. Residents are encouraged to treat standing water on their property with larvicide that is available for purchase at home improvement stores.
  • Dusk/Dawn: Stay indoors during these times when mosquitoes are most active.
  • DEET: Use an insect repellent containing DEET.
  • Dress: Dress in long sleeves and pants when you have to be outside. For extra protection, spray your clothes with a thin layer of insect repellent containing DEET. Also, make sure you have good screens on your windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out.

The City will continue to trap, test, and monitor mosquitoes, as well as treat standing water with larvicide throughout the remainder of mosquito season—usually through mid to late fall.

“While this is Southlake’s first positive test this year, we feel that it’s important to take action quickly to help eliminate future positive tests,” said Price. “The mosquito sample results this year are good, but could be better with participation from the entire city. Residents’ actions are an important part of the solution in keeping the mosquito population down and protecting themselves from contracting the virus.”

For more information about West Nile Virus and how to protect yourself visit CityofSouthlake.com/WestNileVirus.

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