Vancouver, Wash. ‒ Mosquito season has arrived, and the pesky insect population is higher than years past.

Clark County Mosquito Control District crews are finding a higher number of mosquitoes throughout the county this season than they have the last several years. Most recently, the area east of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge has been a mosquito hotspot.

Mosquito control district officials suspect the mild weather during the winter, followed by an unseasonably warm spring, provided ideal conditions for the mosquito population to increase dramatically.

Crews are working daily to control the mosquito population throughout the county by fogging areas with high numbers of mosquitoes and treating catch basins across the county. Mosquito control crews are also trapping adult mosquitoes and testing certain species for West Nile Virus. While West Nile Virus has been found in other parts of the state, Clark County has never had a positive test result in a mosquito sample.

Clark County health officials are urging residents to take steps to help prevent mosquitoes from breeding and avoid mosquito bites.

Eliminate mosquito habitat around your home

• Drain standing water from old tires, flower pots, buckets, plastic tarps and wheelbarrows.
• Change water in bird baths, ponds, wading pools, pet bowls and animal troughs twice a week.
• Repair leaking faucets and sprinklers; clean clogged gutters.
• Properly maintain swimming pools.
• Check for containers or trash in hard-to-see places, such as under bushes.
• To report standing water, call the Clark County Mosquito Control District at 360.397.8430.

Prevent mosquito bites

• Install or repair screens on windows and doors.
• When practical, wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes, socks and hats outside, especially in wooded areas.
• Place mosquito netting over infant carriers when outdoors.
• Use EPA-registered insect repellents, including those with DEET, picaridin, IR3535 and oil of lemon eucalyptus. Use especially at dawn and dusk.

The Clark County Mosquito Control District will continue surveillance and abatement activities throughout the active mosquito season, which usually runs through the end of September. Crews also will continue to monitor and test local mosquito populations for West Nile Virus. For more information on West Nile Virus, visit the Clark County Public Health website.

CONTACT
Marissa Armstrong
Public Health
564.397.7307
marissa.armstrong@clark.wa.gov