Florida Keys Mosquito Control

BY MAGGIE OLIVE KLEIN 

KONKLIFE STAFF WRITER AND EDITOR 

Mosquitos: the biggest nuisance we face in the Keys. Being in Florida, mosquito control is a year round worry because of our climate, but the busiest season happens to coincide with the traditional rainy season: late spring through early November. But we are lucky to receive the hard and dedicated work from the team at Florida Keys Mosquito Control!

Keys Mosquito is multidisciplinary in their methods of mosquito control. Chad Huff, the Public Education & Information Officer of Keys Mosquito, was able to shed some light on the methods they employ. He says, “For source reduction, we have inspectors that go door to door and eliminate or identify breeding sites. We also have a program where we use larvicide, a type of insecticide to kill mosquito larvae in water. And, if enough mosquitos get into the air, then we use adulticide, a type of insecticide used to kill adult mosquitos.” Huff goes on to say that one thing that presents a great challenge is time. He says, “When all 120 miles of Monroe County receive a lot of rain at once, you have the clock ticking on all the land. But it’s certainly nothing the team can’t do. We have a lot of dedicated men and women that take the job extremely seriously, because when it comes down to it, it’s a health issue. Too many mosquitoes can mean a greater chance of mosquito borne disease.”

A mosquito we have here in The Keys which is of particular concern, due to its uncanny ability to spread disease, is called the Aedes aegypti. This mosquito just happens to live and breed exclusively where people live, referred to as a “container breeder”. Commonly associated with people and homes, the Aedes aegypti is often found breeding in artificial containers. Huff says, “This urban mosquito can often be found laying its eggs in things that people might leave in their yard, and end up collecting rainwater. Think children’s toys, bird baths, buckets, and other things that could be potential breeding sites for thousands of a particularly dangerous mosquito.” Because of the rainy season, the Aedes aegypti reproduction can be more of a concern. People are urged to eliminate any standing water in their yard, in order to limit the risk of reproduction. 

The Keys Mosquito work is very deliberate and dedicated, with an emphasized appreciation for the partnership between the team and the general public. The work that everyone does in order to help the professionals as much as they can is helpful and recognized. 

Every morning, about 35 inspectors are assigned to a particular area in the keys, and are responsible for taking inventory of what the mosquito population is doing that day in said area. From there, what they find will help dictate where mosquito control is working on any given day. The work that follows is very much a response to a daily analysis of what’s going on, in order to save time and chemicals, and work as efficiently as possible. 

Thank you so much, Florida Keys Mosquito Control, for all of your hard work, and for the maintenance of our beautiful island!

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