LAGUNA VISTA — The recent rains have created a huge mosquito problem, so Thursday night the City of Laguna Vista will start spraying in hopes of getting rid of the bugs.
Along with being annoying and ruining that evening dinner on the patio, mosquitoes also carry dangerous diseases.
But there are measures you can take to protect your family. That can begin with maintaining your yard by trimming tall grass and eliminating standing water.
“We are encouraging local residents to mow their yards, get rid of any standing water, clean their culverts (pipes on their driveways),” said City Manager Rolando Vela. “With regard to mosquito spraying, we’re prepared in Laguna Vista. But we won’t do so if we are expecting rains. We will, however, monitor this.”
In addition to being pests, mosquitoes transmit the agents of serious diseases, including encephalitis, dengue, Zika and the chikungunya virus, as well as heartworms in pets.
By following the Four Ds to fight the bite, residents can protect themselves.
1 – Drain standing water in your yard and neighborhood. Standing water can be found in swimming pools that are not kept clean, ponds, pet watering dishes, birdbaths, potted plants, old tires, empty containers and clogged rain gutters.
2 – Dusk/Dawn are times of the day you should stay indoors when mosquitoes are most active.
3 – Dress in long-sleeved shirts and wear pants when you are outside; spray thin clothing with insect repellent.
4 – DEET is an ingredient to look for in your insect repellent.
