Rockland County Bites Back Against Disease-Bearing Mosquitoes

By Sarah Morgenstern

Ever wonder why some backyards and outdoor spaces are filled with blood-thirsty mosquitos, while other outdoor areas remain bug-free?

The culprit is usually standing water, of which even a tiny amount will attract female mosquitos that lay hundreds of eggs.

Rockland's Mosquito Control Program has been reducing the county's mosquito population in the spring and summertime since 1999.

They identify and monitor many mosquito-breeding sites, such as those at roadside drains that direct rainwater underground.

Out of consideration for county employees, who need easy access to the roadside, Rockland County residents are asked not to park over storm drains.

Outdoor swimming pools, tire-storage facilities, landscape yards, municipal storage yards, horse farms, marinas, and garden centers, and private residential properties that are considered "high risk" for mosquito breeding are also regularly inspected by Rockland staffers who respond to online complaints at https://rocklandgov.com/departments/health/environmental-health/complaint-form/.

Treating pools of water that could attract mosquitoes also prevents several species of the buzzing bugs from spreading to humans potentially dangerous diseases, such as West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis, County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert pointed out.

Residents must also do their part to rethink or regularly change the water of anything, such as plant saucers, dog bowls, birdbaths, and fountains that collect water outside. Even bottle caps can collect enough water to attract mosquitoes.

While residents should be sure to flip over kids' toys, buckets, wading pools, canoes, and wheelbarrows that are kept outside: to prevent them from collecting any water, junk, such as old tires, that are lying around collecting water should be removed immediately.