St. Charles County Missouri

St. Charles County Department of Community
Health & The Environment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, May 31, 2002

CONTACTS:
Barry Drucker (636) 949-7406
Gil Copley (636) 949-7477

Mosquito Season Arrives
County Urges Citizens to Assist in Mosquito Control Efforts

St. Charles County - Scores of complaints about mosquitoes are being fielded by the staff of the Department of Community Health and the Environment's Division of Public Health Mosquito Control program. According to Barry Drucker, supervisor of the Environmental Public Health section, which oversees the mosquito control program, "In previous weeks we were receiving fewer than one complaint a day. This week, we have already received more than sixty complaints by phone and more than a dozen by email."

Larviciding to kill mosquitoes before they reach the adult stage began in April. Early evening spraying to kill adult mosquitoes and mosquito trapping to help identify species began the week of May 27. Evening spraying, sometimes referred to as "fogging", is an effective way to reduce the number of adult biting mosquitoes.

Where do all these mosquitoes come from? According to Dr. Barry McCauley, Supervisor of the St. Charles County Mosquito Control program, "The almost annual sudden explosion of mosquito populations occurs when hundreds of millions of eggs laid the previous fall hatch because of spring rains and warmer temperatures. Mosquitoes can develop from eggs to biting adults in 7 to 14 days." The good news, according to Dr. McCauley, is that these mosquitoes are not usually the speciesthat can transmit disease to humans. The bad news is that they are ferocious biters and can make a stay outdoors miserable. Residents should protect themselves and their children when outside by applying a mosquito repellant. The repellant should be applied according to package instructions.

St. Charles County Government asks residents to help control mosquitoes this year. "An informed public, working in partnership with the health department, will make a huge difference in controlling mosquitoes," according to Gil Copley, Director of the St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment. "County residents can control mosquito populations in their own neighborhood by eliminating breeding areas thus reducing the adult mosquito population. This makes the early evening spraying more effective," Copley said.

Hundreds of mosquitoes can develop in just one old tin can filled with rainwater, many thousands in a tub of water. Spraying is a safe means of killing adult mosquitoes. A special "Ultra Low Volume" sprayer dispenses very small amounts of pesticide. Still, it is far better to prevent the breeding and hatching of mosquitoes in the first place. Mosquito Control Programs use larva ides to do this where standing water is unavoidable. Residents do this by removing potential breeding spots.

The county program provides mosquito control services in unincorporated St. Charles County and Lake St. Louis, Augusta, Wentzville and Cottleville and Weldon Spring Heights under contract. The cities of St. Peters, O'Fallon and St. Charles also operate a mosquito control program and work in partnership with St. Charles County. St. Charles County urges all residents, regardless of where they live, to take the following steps to assist mosquito control efforts:

  • Collect and properly dispose of all useless artificial containers such as tin cans, bottles, buckets, vases and old tires.
  • Inspect rain gutters and downspouts to see if they are blocked by leaves or other debris and clean them out if necessary.
  • Stack buckets, barrels, tubs, and other open containers upside down.
  • Cover all boats and canoes or store them upside down.
  • Stock rock garden pools and lily ponds with small fish, including the top water minnow (the mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis).
  • Empty and refill birdbaths several times a week.
  • Fill in or drain low places on private property where water may stand for more than a week.
  • Empty and clean small wading pools if not in use and several times a week if in use.
  • Properly maintain larger backyard swimming pools.
  • Cover rain barrels, cisterns and fire barrels with 16-mesh screening.
  • Store wheelbarrows and wagons upside down.

Recently there has been much interest and publicity about West Nile Virus. St. Charles County is actively involved in the West Nile Virus Work Group, a coalition of Public Health Departments in the Metropolitan Area. West Nile Virus has not yet been found in birds in St. Charles County but was documented in St. Louis City and County last September. Mosquitoes that bite infected birds and then humans transmit West Nile Virus. Historically, mosquito transmitted diseases, including St. Louis Encephalitis, are not seen until mid to late summer and early fall in this part of the country. To supplement mosquito control efforts, an extensive public health surveillance program is already underway in the Metro Area and is designed to detect any potential human disease outbreak quickly.

The St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment website hosts a West Nile Virus Information Center. Extensive information, including the metro area "West Nile Virus Response Plan" can be found at www.scchealth.org under the West Nile Virus Information Center link on the right. There is also information about using mosquito repellants. Reports of dead hawks, blue jays and crows can also be made online through the center.

For more information call the St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment at 636-949-7404 or email health@mail.win.org.

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