SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – It’s the rainy season, and that means more mosquitoes.
On Wednesday, our News 6 team met with Seminole County’s Mosquito Control Program Manager Theressa Jones. She said they started fogging to treat areas with high mosquito activity in May and she expects her department will be even busier in the next week.
“I look for it to change in the next week and a half,” said Jones. “We’re supposed to get more rain today and tomorrow. We are fairly dry, but now water is starting to pool.”
Jones said mosquitoes are known to frequent any area where there is standing water. In Seminole County, families near Lake Jesup and Lake Monroe often see increased activity in the summer.
“Always drain and cover,” Jones said. “If something is holding water, drain it. If you’ve got a boat that can hold water, cover it. Kiddie pools this time of year are a big thing for us. Even dog bowls.”
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
This year, the county is using new technology to trap and track mosquitoes. Jones showed our crew where it’s been placed by the Central Florida Zoo and how it works. They use carbon dioxide to attract the mosquitoes, and then a computer can count the number of bugs by the wing beats once they enter the trap.
“When you exhale, you exhale carbon dioxide, and that’s why they come to get a blood meal,” Jones said. “So, we’re fooling them. Basically, they think they’re getting a meal and they’re not.”
Jones says the data tracked by the device is sent to synced devices in real time. It helps her team immediately see the peak times to treat local areas.
“This trap I can leave out for 3 to 4 days on its own. It’s taking less employees out in the field,” Jones said. “It tells me when the peak times are for the mosquitoes to come into the trap, and that in turn gives me a better idea of when I need run a fogging truck.”
They’ve named the device Nancy Johnson, the woman who invented the first hand-crank ice cream machine.
“She was the first woman to patent something and put it out, so we named her Nancy Johnson,” said Jones.
Jones said “Nancy” is already helping her team become more efficient, which also allows them to be more effective.
Seminole County’s mosquito control program also covers every city within the county. They conduct routine inspections and treat areas as needed but also rely on the community’s feedback. If you have a problem area where you live, you can request service online.