Flint Township View

Pest experts ask residents to help contain the mosquito population




GRAND BLANC TWP. — Pest control experts are urging Grand Blanc Township residents to be vigilant and do their part to reduce the mosquito population.

“We want to … (make) sure residents understand that, after heavy rains, wheelbarrows, kiddie pools, buckets, things of that sort cause a big issue for breeding mosquitos,” said Ashley Warner of Rose Pest Solutions.

A statewide drought at the beginning of the season helped keep the mosquito population in check, because the eggs cannot mature in dry conditions, Warner said.

However, heavy rains in recent weeks have caused a mosquito bloom.

“Since we had such dry conditions, we’ve had tons of eggs that were laying dormant that got wet recently,” Warner said. “So, we’ve had up to nine month’s worth of eggs hatch, and that’s what’s causing the bloom.”

While some of those mosquitos, which hatched over a four- to five-day period in early July, came from low-lying, flood-prone areas, “the mosquitos we’re dealing with mostly are container mosquitos,” she said.

The good news is, all of the West Nile virus testing has come back negative, she added.

Rose has worked more than 1,100 hours in Grand Blanc Township this year. Crews have applied more than 1,500 pounds of larvicide and 58 gallons of adulticide, and performed 210 barrier treatments at wood lines.