Mosquito season has arrived early in Clark County, and residents may be facing another summer with a bigger-than-usual mosquito population. Clark County Mosquito Control District has been working for weeks to reduce the mosquito population and continues to treat areas with high numbers of mosquitoes across the county. As crews work to reduce the number of mosquitoes, Clark County Public Health is encouraging everyone to take steps to avoid mosquito bites and eliminate mosquito habitats on their property.

The species of mosquitoes that are currently active in Clark County, called floodwater mosquitoes, lay their eggs in the damp soil along rivers during late spring and early summer. As mountain snow melts and water levels rise, those areas become covered with water and the eggs hatch.

“We are currently seeing a lot of mosquito activity everywhere in the county, but about one month earlier than last year,” said Mario Boisvert, Clark County Mosquito Control District manager. “Water was released earlier from Bonneville Dam leading to higher water levels again this year. The above-normal temperatures in mid-May also contributed to earlier hatches.”

Now that mosquito eggs have hatched, Mosquito Control District technicians are setting traps to identify areas with large populations of adult mosquitoes and using trucks to treat those areas. They are also working to address more than 550 requests for service submitted in the last two weeks. The Mosquito Control District thanks community members for their patience as crews work as quickly as possible to respond to the requests.

In addition, Mosquito Control District technicians are treating thousands of catch basins across the county to prevent the hatching of species of mosquitoes that can carry West Nile virus. Technicians also trap adult mosquitoes in these areas to test for West Nile virus. Clark County has never had a case of West Nile virus that was acquired in Clark County or a positive test result in a mosquito sample, though there have been cases of West Nile virus in other parts of the state, mostly in eastern Washington.

Public Health is urging residents to take steps to avoid mosquito bites:

• Install or repair screens on windows and doors.
• When possible, stay indoors during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
• When practical, wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes, socks, and hats/head nets outside, especially in wooded or wetland areas.
• Place mosquito netting over infant carriers when outdoors.
• Use EPA-registered insect repellents, including those with DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Use especially at dawn and dusk. Read the label and carefully follow the instructions for applying repellents, especially when applying on children.

Clark County residents can also do their part to help prevent mosquitoes from breeding on their property by taking these simple steps:

• Drain standing water from old tires, flowerpots, buckets, plastic tarps, and wheelbarrows.
• Change water in bird baths, ponds, wading pools, pet bowls and animal troughs at least twice a week.
• Repair leaking faucets and sprinklers; clean clogged gutters.
• Properly maintain swimming pools.
• Check for containers or trash in hard-to-see places, such as under bushes.

The Clark County Mosquito Control District will continue surveillance and treatment activities throughout the active mosquito season. To learn more about treatment activities or to submit a request for service, visit the Mosquito Control District website.