Drain and cover. That's the message Miami-Dade County mosquito control specialists want the public to hear.
Mosquitos can lay more than 100 eggs at a time, and they do so in standing water. Even a bottle cap of water is big enough.
Mosquitos can carry the West Nile virus and the Zika virus, among other things.
Monique Spence does outreach for the mosquito control and habitat management division. The county offers services to kill the bugs, but Spence says the public can do a lot on their own to get rid of places where mosquitos can breed.
"What we've found is there's a lot of standing water around people's residences," she says.
She mentioned dog bowls and kiddie pools as examples.
Another place water tends to collect is between the leaves of bromeliad plants, which are popular in South Florida neighborhoods. The county recommends a safe larvicide for those plants. Those are sold at most hardware stores.
Covering up with mosquito repellent or long sleeved clothing is another way to avoid getting bitten, along with making sure there are screens on doors and windows.
The county mosquito control department is holding a series of workshops through the end of June. Find out more about how to attend a mosquito workshop here.
To report a mosquito issue in Miami-Dade County, you can also call 3-1-1.
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