FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas — With mosquito season upon us, local officials have deployed different methods to try and control the pest’s population.
Spray trucks have already been in use this year, according to Fort Bend County mosquito control manager Kevin Pritts. Meanwhile, mosquito spraying planes will be utilized later this week to attack the problem from the air.
In a statement, Fort Bend Health and Human Services confirmed the "aerial application" of the mosquito control pesticide DIROM will begin Thursday. Officials confirmed that mosquito spraying planes have previously been used in the county.
This year's aerial treatment efforts will start around sunset Thursday in areas including Needville, Fairchilds, Sienna, Fresno, Pearland and Orchard.
“We expect this to be effective at quickly dropping down the population of adult mosquitos,” Pritts said.
The county plans to use a contractor, VDCI, to help with the effort. The company helps municipalities with mosquito control according to their website.
Speaking to KHOU 11 News, Pritts said the designated treatment areas had some of the highest levels of mosquito activity in the county.
“With the large increase in mosquito population due to Hurricane Beryl, we conducted surveillance before the mosquitos emerged and then again after the mosquitos emerged to determine where the largest increases in populations were,” he said.
Pritts said the pesticide that will be used is not harmful to humans or pets, and it’s generally safe to be outside when it’s sprayed. However, he advised that people can go inside if they have concerns.
In recent weeks, stormy weather has fueled the mosquito activity that local officials are now trying to fight.
“With the amount of rain we have seen, especially after Hurricane Beryl came through, a lot of those areas that had eggs are being flooded, so we’re seeing a large emergence or a lot large amount of mosquitos coming off this year, compared to years we didn’t see as much rain,” Pritts said.
As of Tuesday, 13 mosquitos have tested positive for West Nile virus in Fort Bend County, according to Fort Bend Health and Human Services.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension entomologist Dr. Sonja Swiger tells KHOU 11 News there are 88 different mosquito species in Texas but only one carries West Nile.
Swiger said there are things you can do to try to avoid contact with mosquitoes that carry the virus.
“It’s kind of a unique mosquito, it actually is a night biting mosquito, so it’s not going to become active until after dusk, and then it’s most active from 9 pm to 2 am,” she said. “So unless you’re out doing night walks, that’s really when you need to be most concerned.”