CITY OF BRENHAM ENCOURAGES RESIDENTS TO HELP REDUCE MOSQUITO POPULATIONS
The City of Brenham is asking residents to help do their part in keeping mosquito populations down this summer.
pesticide that attacks adult mosquitoes.
(courtesy City of Brenham)
The public is encouraged to assist in eliminating mosquito breeding habitats around their homes and properties. They can do so by:
- Getting rid of standing water in containers, flowerpots, tires, buckets, and other outdoor items.
- Changing water at least weekly in bird baths, wading pools, pet bowls, and similar containers.
- Keeping swimming pools properly treated and circulating.
- Wearing long-sleeved shirts, pants, and socks when outdoors, especially during dawn and dusk.
- Using mosquito repellents according to label directions.
- Considering using yellow “bug” lights outdoors, which tend to attract fewer mosquitoes.
The city uses a comprehensive mosquito control program during the warmer months, typically from April through September, when mosquito activity is highest.
The City's primary mosquito-control method involves ultra-low-volume fogging with a pesticide called Kontrol 4-4. Applied from specially equipped vehicles, the treatment targets adult mosquitoes and is typically conducted three times per week when weather and wind conditions are favorable.
Spraying begins about one hour before sunset and continues for up to two hours after dark, when adult mosquitoes are most active. During a single evening, crews can cover approximately 20 to 25 miles of city streets. The timing also helps protect beneficial insects such as bees, which have typically returned to their hives by dusk.
City crews also perform daytime spot treatments in storm drains and other dark, damp locations where adult mosquitoes commonly rest.
To prevent mosquitoes from reaching adulthood, the City applies Zoecon Altosid Briquettes to standing water in drainage ways, rights-of-way, and other areas that cannot be easily drained. The treatments target mosquito larvae before they mature and become biting adults.
Residents can learn more about mosquito control and mosquito-borne illnesses by visiting the Environmental Protection Agency's mosquito control resources at www.epa.gov/mosquitocontrol.
For additional information, contact the City of Brenham Public Works Department at 979-337-7400.
