The Fayette Citizen-News Page

Wednesday, August 1, 2001
Man-made mosquitoes' and how to prevent them

How did the Fire Department get involved in this public health story?

Peachtree City Fire Chief Stony Lohr said his department has received calls on 911 ­ not for symptomatic persons, but about dead birds. "And for us to say 'We don't know, we don't care, we're not doing anything' is not acceptable."

So he has devised a plan of action. "The big thing is prevention and awareness," he said, "getting folks motivated and informed." But in addition, his personnel are placing Altosid briquettes, a mosquito larvicide, in standing water in city-owned property and rights of way, "anywhere city property is involved as a potential site ­ not on private property," he stressed.

He found the 150-day treatment through a source shared by DeKalb public safety agencies, and opted for it rather than shorter-term treatments because of the cost of manpower. Homeowners can buy a similar, less-costly product good for 30 days, he said. "Gilroy and Ace hardware stores, and Pike Nursery in Peachtree City all carry Mosquito Dunk, a biologic larvicide that people can put around in private property," he said. Home Depot and Lowe's also carry Mosquito Dunk, although demand is high and the product sells out quickly.

"We're also looking at places where we can drain water," Lohr continued, "but where we cannot reasonably drain water, or where there are no natural predators like fish, we'll treat it."

Lohr quipped that 75 to 85 percent of mosquitoes are "man-made," the result of mosquitoes breeding in water left by human carelessness. "The preferred course of action is to empty all sources of stagnant water."

He also recommended cleaning bird baths with a solution of chlorine bleach to kill existing eggs, often mistaken for algae on the concrete at water's edge.