Spraying Schedule
What kind of fish do you put in standing water, how do I get them?
Gambusia fish are used at Florida Keys Mosquito Control to control for mosquito larvae. Mosquito Control inspectors will drop off these minnow sized fish to areas around the Keys where larger bodies of water cannot be dumped out. These fish can survive in murky water and do not need to be fed as they eat the larvae that hatch out from mosquito eggs. Cisterns, fountains, abandoned or untreated swimming pools and spas are common places where gambusia fish are used.
It seems like your inspector is always at my house, how often do they need to come by?
Mosquitoes take 5 days to grow from egg to adult and inspectors are seeking out mosquito larvae and pupae in water to dump in that 5 day period. By dumping water, the mosquito life cycle is stopped before adult mosquitoes can hatch out. Unfortunately, inspectors cannot come to your home every 5 days so Florida Keys Mosquito Control asks homeowners to be on the lookout for any water collecting around their homes and dump it. Most inspectors will visit your home once every six weeks or when necessary. If there is a call for service in your area, an inspector may circle the block to find the source of the neighborhood mosquito problem and often check out your home, too.
I am raising bees and do not want adulticide at my home. What can I do?
Call Mosquito Control to be added to our no spray list for the spray truck and be added to an additional list to be notified when FKMCD is aerial adulticiding.
What if I don’t want to have my home sprayed with the spray truck?
Simply call Mosquito Control to get your home address added to our no spray list.
Why Can’t I See Anything Coming Out Of The Planes?
In the past the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District used thermal fogging to apply adulticides. The pesticide was diluted with diesel oil and passed through the engine of the plane or the blower in the back of the truck. This produced a thick cloud of smoke that was easily seen. It also produced a certain level of pollution due to the burning of the oil. Now the district uses ultralow volume or ULV applications. A very small amount of pesticide is applied in droplets about the diameter of a human hair. ULV allows mosquito control to use less pesticide to achieve the same results, while eliminating pollution due to use of the diesel oil carrier.
Why Doesn’t FKMCD Spray For No-See-Ums?
No-see-ums have a different life cycle than do mosquitoes. Their immature stages, or larvae, are found down in the mud or in rotting vegetation, unlike mosquitoes whose larvae swim in the water column. Larvicides are ineffective for control of no-see-um larvae. The adults often are localized, and applying adulticides for their control is difficult and expensive.
Will The Pesticides Harm My Vegetables Or Ornamentals?
No. Permethrin and naled both are used in agriculture, and at rates much higher than for mosquito control.