Residents Asked to Combat Mosquitoes
Though they may be pretty to look at, ornamental ponds and water-filled barrels and troughs could be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
After the soaking the county has taken since October, almost any standing water--in buckets, neglected swimming pools and old tires--could hide gooey mosquito sacs.
That is the warning from the Ventura County Environmental Health Division, which controls mosquitoes in flood control channels, drains, gutters, creeks and marshes.
Although most people think of mosquitoes as mere pesky bloodsuckers, some species can transmit diseases such as encephalitis, according to the health division’s Randy Smith.
On private property, residents can help stop a mosquito problem before it starts by searching for standing water. Any containers should be emptied or covered with tight-fitting lids, Smith said.
Pools and ponds can be drained or stocked with mosquito-eating fish, which are free through the health division’s mosquito-abatement project.
For more information, call the division at 654-2816.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
