Health Department

Mosquito Control

The Boone County Health Department has developed a mosquito control program to reduce mosquito populations on public lands and to provide information to the citizens of Boone County. The primary focus will be the control of mosquito larvae development.

Larvaciding

Our mosquito control program involves the application of larvicide at areas of concern. Larvicide attacks the mosquitoes that are in the larvae stage and present in standing water areas. This is the most efficient and effective way of controlling mosquitoes and keeps them from becoming biting adults. All larvicides being used breakdown naturally in the environment and are approved for environmentally sensitive areas. Health Department employees are licensed by the Indiana State Chemist office to apply pesticides for mosquito control. If you contract with a commercial exterminator for the control of mosquitoes, be certain they carry a license for this type of work. For more detailed information on the larvicides we use, please contact our office at 765-483-4458.

Mosquito Collection

The Boone County Health Department will be collecting mosquitoes throughout the county for testing by the Indiana State Department of Health. Information gathered from ISDH analysis will be utilized to identify areas of virus activity.

Mosquito Facts

All mosquitoes need water in which to survive their early life stages. In Indiana they usually need 10 or more days of standing, still water. Adult flying mosquitoes frequently rest in grass, shrubbery or other foliage, but they never develop there.
Some mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water where they hatch in a day or two. Other mosquitoes lay their eggs in old tires, tin cans, or other water holding containers and may remain unhatched for weeks or months until they are covered with water.

Mosquitos can carry serious disease!
• West Nile Virus
• St. Louis Encephalitis
• Lacrosse Encephalitis
• East/West Equine Encephalitis
• Dog Heartworm
• Zika Virus

Zika Virus

Zika virus is mainly spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito. The two known mosquitos to transmit the disease are Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Neither of these types of mosquitos were found in Boone County in 2016. The virus can also be spread from an infected person to their sex partners or from an infected pregnant mother to her baby. Zika virus typically does not cause any symptoms, but 1 in 5 will have mild illness characterized by fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis. There is currently no vaccine or treatment available for the Zika virus. There have been no locally acquired cases of Zika in Indiana in 2015 or 2016.

For more information, you can visit the ISDH website: http://www.in.gov/isdh/26910.htm

Personal Protection

Boone County Health Department recommends people take the following protective steps to reduce the risk of mosquito bites:
• Avoid being outdoors during prime mosquito biting times, dusk to dawn, when possible;
• Apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaradin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus to clothes and exposed skin;
• Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out of the home; and,
• When possible, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants when outside.

Take the following steps to rid your properties of potential mosquito breeding grounds by:
• Discard old tires, tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or other containers that can hold water;
• Repair failed septic systems;
• Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers left outdoors;
• Keep grass cut short and shrubbery trimmed;
• Clean clogged roof gutters, particularly if leaves tend to plug up the drains;
• Frequently replace the water in pet bowls;
• Flush ornamental fountains and birdbaths periodically; and,
• Aerate ornamental pools, or stock them with predatory fish.

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