There are more than 75 mosquito species in Florida, individual counties may have 40 species, fewer than two dozen species throughout Florida are important enough as pest or vectors to warrant control, however, and in given locality, this number is usually less than five.The first step in determining which mosquitoes poses a nuisance, or is an economic or health-related pest or vector. A nuisance mosquito bothers people, typically in and around homes or in a recreational area. One definition of a health related mosquito problem is the ability of a mosquito to transmit infectious diseases. In Florida, this definition includes only mosquitoes that spread dog heartworm, St. Louis Encephalitis and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. However, any mosquito that bites or annoys people can be considered a health problem, particularly for individuals that are allergic to mosquito bites or which suffer from entomophobia, (i.e. A fear of insects).

Florida Department of Health Public Service Announcement regarding the Zika virus

1. English - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQxzWtO0JUM
2. Spanish - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M92TOuDCbtM
3. Creole - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-5OFTetTbQ

Habitat/Source Reduction

Mosquito habitats and ways individuals can protect themselves from mosquito attack. Source reduction is usually the most effective of the techniques available and is accomplished by eliminating mosquito breeding sites.

Drain and Cover

• DRAIN: water from garbage cans, houseDrain standing water from birdbaths, garbage cans, and other containers that can collect water.gutters, pool covers, coolers, toys, flower pots or any other containers where sprinkler or rain water has collected.
• EMPTY and CLEAN: Birdbaths and pet's water bowls at least once or twice a week.
• PROTECT: Boats and vehicles from rain with tarps that don't accumulate water.
• MAINTAIN: Screened entry way's prevent mosquitoes!The water balance (poolchemistry) of swimming pools.Empty plastic swimming pools when not in use. Repair broken screens on windows, doors, porches, and patios.
• CLOTHING: If you must be outside whenmosquitoes are active, cover up. Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and long sleeves.
• REPELLENT: Apply mosquito repellent to bare skin and clothing. Always use repellents according to the label. Repellents with DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, and IR3535 are effective. Use netting to protect children younger than 2 months.

Visit the Florida Department of Health for more information.

Containers

This can be a simple as properly discarding old containers which hold water capable of producing Aedes aegypti, A.e. albopictus or Culex spp. Containers such as flower pots, cans and tires are excellent habitats for mosquitoes to breed. A container breeding mosquito problem can be solved by properly disposing of such items, covering them or tipping them over to ensure that they do not collect water.

Water

Small man-made ponds, storm water or waste water retention areas are also excellent breeding habitats, effective control include period drainage, providing deep water sanctuary for predator / larvivorious fish, minimizing emergent and standing vegetation and maintaining steep banks.

Swamps

Environmental laws greatly restrict habitat manipulation in these areas, making permanent control here difficult, which can produce Culex, Anopheles, and Culiseta species of mosquitoes.

Temporarily Flooded Locations

Pastures and agricultural lands are enormous mosquito producers, frequently generating huge broods of mosquitoes, (Aedes, Psorophora and Culex). Improved drainage is one effective tool to generate source reduction.

Adulticiding

Columbia County provides for spraying the county using various chemicals to kill adult mosquitoes, and are generally applied using a truck mounted ULV spray unit.

Larviciding

Columbia County provides for the chemical treatment of larval mosquitoes (either I-IV Instar) by applying chemicals to roadside ditches, swales, retention ponds, treatment ponds and small bodies of water, man-made ponds. Most currently used larvicides, when applied properly, are efficacious and environmentally safe, both to aquatic animals and humans.

Spraying Requirements

Florida Statues on mosquito surveillance are concerned only with the monitoring of adults. According to these statues, before adulticides can be applied, a monitoring program must detect an increase in the population above a predetermined baseline. Or by using a techniques known as Landing Rates, landing rates are determined using this technique comprises a count of the number of mosquitoes that land on a person in a given amount of time. This is useful for evaluating activity for day biting, and container breeding mosquitoes, which are common around homes. Also used is telephonic service request, which citizens can call the Mosquito Control Department at 386-752-6050 to log a complaint and request mosquito control services.