The City of Albuquerque Environmental Health Department and the Bernalillo County Health Protection Section are anticipating a significant increase in mosquito activity that will likely persist through the summer following recent heavy rainfall. Mosquitoes breed in standing water and can develop from egg to adult in as little as seven days. The joint City-County mosquito control program has issued recommendations for residents to help reduce breeding and prevent bites amid high mosquito populations.
“Everyone plays a role in preventing mosquito breeding, which is our best way to control the population,” said City of Albuquerque Urban Biology Manager, Nick Pederson. “Even a small soda can will provide enough water to breed hundreds of pesky mosquitoes.”
“City and County staff are working hard to keep mosquito populations in check to allow our constituents to enjoy their outdoor spaces,” said Bernalillo County Planning and Development Services Director, Nick Hamm. “We encourage people to take precautions and to contact us if they need more information about the mosquito control program.”
To prevent mosquito breeding, residents should eliminate water-holding containers where mosquitoes lay their eggs, such as old tires, discarded cans, trash, and pet dishes. After it rains, check for objects around your home that have collected water and dump out the water from items like children’s toys, flower pots, and wheelbarrows. Regularly change the water in birdbaths; maintain ponds and backyard swimming pools; ensure rain barrels are fitted with screens; and when flood-irrigating, prevent water from standing for more than a few days.
Mosquitoes can transmit serious diseases such as West Nile virus. Additionally, they can be a significant nuisance that disrupts daily life and outdoor activities.
“With our families planning to spend time outdoors for the holiday this week, it’s so important to protect ourselves from mosquitoes,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “We can all help keep our communities safe by taking a few simple steps to reduce opportunities for mosquitoes to take over so we can all enjoy more pest-free fun.”
Residents should protect themselves from mosquito bites by avoiding outdoor activities during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active; wearing long, loose, light-colored clothing; and using insect repellent with proven ingredients such as DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol or 2-undecanone.
Residents are encouraged to call 311 to report standing water. More information on mosquito prevention is available at cabq.gov/mosquitoes.