Broward County delays mosquito spraying due to poor weather conditions

Broward County, Florida – Broward County officials have called off the scheduled spraying of mosquitoes in several of northeast areas due to unfavorable weather. The work was supposed to start on Tuesday, August 26, and go until Saturday, August 30, however it will be pushed out to a later date once conditions allow.

The spraying was part of a countywide plan to lower the number of mosquitoes in Fort Lauderdale, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Oakland Park, and Pompano Beach, among other places. The Mosquito Control Section of Public Works had intended to use truck-mounted sprayers with a targeted larvicide from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. The goal was to destroy the mosquito larvae before they grew up and could spread diseases.

Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are the two species of concern since they are known to carry dengue, yellow fever, and chikungunya. Their larvae frequently mature in small bodies of water, typically located in buckets, abandoned tires, and decorative flora such as bromeliads and traveler’s palms.

VectoBac WDG, the larvicide that was chosen, is based on a naturally occurring bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti). Officials stressed that it is safe for people, pets, bees, aquatic life, and locations that are sensitive to the environment. The Organic Materials Review Institute has certified the product, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved it, and the World Health Organization has recommended it for programs to control mosquitoes.

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Broward County Mosquito Control continues to collaborate with the Florida Department of Health and local code enforcement in all 31 of the county’s municipalities, even if the spraying has been put off. Their goal is to lower the number of mosquitoes and the places where they breed.

In the meanwhile, people who live and work in the area should be careful around their own property. Simple things like emptying containers, pots, birdbaths, and fountains of standing water will help stop mosquitoes from breeding. Cutting down on these habitats immediately lowers the number of mature mosquitoes that could spread disease.

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If you have ongoing difficulties with mosquitoes, you can get help by contacting 311 or filling out the county’s online Mosquito Service Request Form. You may find out more about the work that is being done to control mosquitoes at Broward.org/mosquito.

Once the spraying is rescheduled, officials from the county will put out a new schedule. In the meanwhile, people are told to keep an eye on their surroundings and make sure there is no standing water.