News Flash

MOUNT PLEASANT, SC (March 6, 2017) - Charleston County Government’s Mosquito Control Division employees will be going door-to-door this week to inform the public about mosquitos and how citizens can help control them around their property. The effort is part of the department’s annual Citizen Awareness Campaign. 

Representatives from the program will conduct their visitations Monday - Thursday between 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. (weather permitting). County employees will visit the neighborhoods listed in the table below to distribute educational materials and check yards for containers that could lead to mosquito breeding problems.

The young mosquitoes, or larvae, cannot live and become adult mosquitoes without water. So the key is to get rid of the containers that hold water around homes, yards, schools and businesses. The public must help by flushing water out of birdbaths and pet dishes with a garden hose. Keep anything that has potential to hold water, such as toys, buckets, cans and bottles, turned over and emptied.

“Our citizens are the first line of defense in the battle against the mosquito population,” said Brian Hayes, Charleston County Mosquito Control’s Manager. “Mosquitoes carry diseases including West Nile Virus, Dengue Fever, Malaria and the Zika virus. The public has to be an integral part of our fight against mosquito-borne diseases. For many of the requests we respond to, we find that people are actually breeding mosquitoes in their own yard.” 

Last week, the South Carolina Department of Environmental Health (DHEC) called on citizens to take precaution regarding the Zika virus.

Full DHEC Advisory

Working together, Charleston County Mosquito Control and the citizens of Charleston County can reduce the mosquito population so that residents can continue to enjoy outside activities and minimize the occurrence of mosquito-carried disease.  

Bee Keepers, Organic Farmers, and citizens with chemical sensitivities, should contact Charleston County Mosquito Control at (843) 202-7880 to be added to the County’s spray notification list.

WAYS THE PUBLIC CAN HELP REDUCE MOSQUITOES:
 

• Every three days, flush birdbaths, potted plant saucers and other containers that hold water
• Keep yard clean and cut
• Remove items from yard that hold water and are not needed outside
• Keep lawn and gardening equipment indoors
• Fix leaky faucets
• Keep gutters clean
• Fill in tree holes with sand or concrete
• Change pet water dishes regularly
• Chlorinate pools and clean the pool and filters
• Add fish to ponds 

MOSQUITO FACTS:
 

• A mosquito’s life revolves around water; a female mosquito lays her eggs in water or in areas expected to flood.
• Once they hatch, a larvae mosquito must remain in water until it emerges as an adult approximately one to two weeks later.
• Mosquitoes can become infected with the West Nile Virus when they feed on infected birds.
• Mosquitoes can transmit heartworm disease from an infected dog or cat to a healthy dog or cat.
  

TO REQUEST SERVICE OR INFORMATION: 

• To request service or to get information on Charleston County Mosquito Control activities, call (843) 202-7880.
• For information on educational programs and presentations available from Charleston County Mosquito Control, call (843) 202-7886.
• To see more information online, visit the County’s Mosquito Control page at: http://www.charlestoncounty.org/departments/public-works/mosquito-about.php

INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION SCHEDULE 

Date: March 6
Location: Mount Royal, The Enclave and Melrose
Municipality: Mount Pleasant and West Ashley

Date: March 7
Location: Melrose, Parkshore, Grove Creek Village and Northshore
Municipality: West Ashley

Date: March 8
Location: Oldtown, Wespanee, Ashleyville and Riverland Terrace 
Municipality: West Ashley and James Island

Date: March 9
Location: Hawthorne City, Achiele, Green Acres and Wood Lawn
Municipality: North Charleston and James Island