bzzzz...... swat..... ewww!!!!

Ugh... I HATE mosquitoes. Parker and I are both mosquito magnets!! They swarm to us like desperate, starving vampires. I can't even walk the dog and not have 10 bites. Tulsa Health Department is vigilant in mosquito control and West Nile Virus Surveillance. I posted some important information from THD in case you have mosquito issues too!

Requests For Mosquito Spraying

THD works to control mosquito populations during the spring and summer. In a typical mosquito season, THD sprays over 800 square miles for adult mosquitoes. To place a complaint about mosquitoes in your area, please call 918-595-4219.

Mosquito Prevention

You can help control mosquito populations, too, by removing sources of standing water that mosquitoes require to breed.

Follow this checklist to reduce mosquitoes near you:
Dispose of tin cans, old tires, bottles, jars, buckets, drums, ceramic pots and other containers, or make sure they contain no standing water.
Clean clogged gutters and/or slope to downspouts.
Drain improperly installed and sagging swimming pool covers.
Change the water in birdbaths at least twice weekly.
Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor spas, saunas and hot tubs. If not in use, keep them empty and covered.
Change water and scrub containers/vases holding plants twice weekly.
Empty your pet's water pan daily.
Repair leaky pipes and faucets.
Screen rain barrels and openings to water tanks.
Eliminate weeds, tall grass and other mosquito breeding places.
Use larvicide where standing water cannot be removed or fill holes.
Stock ornamental ponds with mosquito-eating fish.
Remind neighbors to eliminate breeding sites on their property.
Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens in good repair.

West Nile Virus

West Nile Virus is a type of encephalitis virus that can be transmitted by being bitten by a mosquito infected with the virus. THD helps the Oklahoma State Department of Health monitor incidences of the virus through the West Nile Virus Surveillance Program. This program tests mosquitoes for the virus. You can help by reporting to THD if you see a dead bird of the following types: crows, blue jays, cardinals, hawks, owls or eagles. To report a sighting of one of these types of dead birds, please call 918-595-4344. While birds are no longer being tested, THD will record dead bird sightings.

To help reduce your chance of being bitten by a mosquito carrying West Nile Virus, take the following precautions:
Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts when outdoors
Use insect repellent containing DEET
Eliminate sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed
Keep grass, weeds and other shrubbery trimmed
Avoid being outdoors in the early evening, dusk or dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.
Related Resources More information about West Nile Virus West Nile Virus Fact Sheet [300 kb]