What does the town do to limit Mosquitoes?
Mosquitos are a summertime fact of life for many residents, especially those that live near areas that are prone to seasonal flooding such as Keeney Cove, the North Meadows, and other areas with wetlands nearby. Since these insects are not only a nuisance, but can also play a role in the transmission of mosquito born diseases such as West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis, the Town has an active mosquito control program in place. In addition to working with our Public Works crews to treat all of the storm sewer catch basins on Town roads with mosquito larvicides, the Health Department also contracts with a mosquito control company to provide larvicide treatments and limited spraying in a number of key mosquito breeding areas throughout town. Please note: the Town does not have the resources to spray private property and cannot provide spraying "on demand". However, if you are experiencing high levels of mosquito activity in your neighborhood, you may enter a service request through "My East Hartford" and that information will be logged in our database and used to evaluate and direct our mosquito control efforts.
The Health Department asks all residents to walk around their yard and check for standing water. As little as a teaspoon of water left standing for more than four days will allow mosquitoes to begin their breeding cycle. Residents should actively empty all standing water until the first killing frost.If you own a pool that is not in operation or have standing water on your property that cannot be drained, you may purchase ‘mosquito dunks’ containing larvicide from the Health Department for $10 for a pack of 20.
In addition to reducing the number of mosquitoes by removing standing water, residents can avoid exposure to mosquitoes by limiting the time spent outside between one hour before and one hour after sunset.Repellents are also recommended to avoid mosquito bites if you spend time outside in the evening. Consumer Reports recently compared mosquito and deer tick repellents and recommended several containing 15-30% DEET. A repellent containing oil of lemon eucalyptus and one with 20% picaridin as active ingredients were also recommended. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend use of repellents containing more than 30% DEET for children. It is unlikely to be beneficial for most residents to use DEET in concentrations above 30%.
For additional information regarding the Town's mosquito control program, please feel free to visit our website: https://www.easthartfordct.gov/mosquito-control-info