Mosquito Control

The Mosquito Control Division is composed of a Division Manager, a Mosquito Control Supervisor, a Fleet Maintenance Technician, a Senior Office Support Assistant and five Mosquito Control Technicians.  This Division is responsible for providing mosquito control in

a manner consistent with the protection of the environmental and ecological integrity of all lands and waters throughout Escambia County, including the City of Pensacola and the Town of Century, which encompasses 661 square miles. 

Certified personnel implement integrated mosquito management (IMM) methods, including physical source reduction, biological control, and chemical applications, to control mosquitoes without an unreasonable adverse effect on the environment, as per Chapter 388, Florida Statutes (FS). Chapter 5E-13, Florida Administrative Code (FAC), regulates this division’s operation and management.

100% of division field and management personnel are State of Florida certified in Public Health Pest Control by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Tallahassee, FL. Attendance at the annual short courses sponsored by the Florida Mosquito Control Association (FMCA) and other conferences provide for recertification and professional development. Members of this division are active in both the FMCA and the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA). The division manager serves on the FMCA Board of Directors as NW FL Regional Representative, as well as chairing Bylaws and serving on other key committees.  

All division application equipment is calibrated and tested so as to apply mosquito control larvicides and adulticides at their US EPA-registered label rates. In Florida, the label is the law. This division employs ground (not aerial) ultra-low volume (ULV) vehicles and units to conduct fogging missions. Notification of intent to apply mosquito control pesticides with location is provided for every mission.

Chemical adulticide applications are made only when justified, as per Chapter 5E-13.063, FAC. Inspection by division field technicians is specified in State law.

There is no “mosquito spray” schedule in Escambia County. Each mission is justified under law, meeting criteria specified in the law. Winds in excess of 10 mph and other weather conditions will cancel fog missions. We are very serious about pesticide applications, monitoring vehicles with GPS, analyzing output and droplet size data, to maximize effectiveness and efficiency. Performance measurement with pre- and post operational surveillance is the rule in this division. 

All mosquitoes begin life as eggs, hatching into larva, that live, breathe, and feed in water. After 4 molts or instars, the larva develop into pupa that only live and breathe in water, somewhat like a familiar cocoon in butterflies. Mosquito control professionals know that in their aquatic stages of life, mosquitoes are the more vulnerable, limited by the availability of water for a sufficient time.

Keying control measures to the mosquitoes’ aquatic needs, this division uses effective techniques and methods to enhance success. Larviciding activities are performed daily. Service requests from the public are welcomed since personnel cannot be in all places at all times. Efficient follow up from call initiation to customer satisfaction is tracked and monitored by this division.

Public Education and Awareness

Mosquitoes and humans have a long history of interaction. The average flight range of mosquitoes is 1-3 miles. Some species fly over 40 miles from where they hatch, while some will never leave your backyard. Some mosquitoes are active only in the daytime, while most prefer early evenings and dawn – see below for their active times. When they are active and what we do to understand and avoid mosquitoes can have consequences.

Most of us are familiar with a mosquito bite as a nuisance. Some mosquitoes though carry and transmit diseases to humans and animals. West Nile (WN) virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and Dog Heartworm are examples of arboviral mosquito-borne disease. Not at all times – and certainly not all species – are mosquitoes a threat to public health. But sometimes, they are. That’s why this division wants you to know about mosquitoes and to take precautions to avoid their blood-feeding activity. Below are some tips for your information and ways to avoid a mosquito’s attention.

Remember “The 5 D’s” of Mosquito Control:

• Dusk – avoid outdoor activity when mosquitoes are most actively feeding and flying.
• Dawn – avoid the outdoors when “the light is changing in the sky.”
• DEET– use personal repellents containing this effectively proven ingredient.
• Dress – cover exposed skin to block mosquitoes’ access to your bodies.
• Drain – dump standing water from pails, flowerpot saucers, old tires, toys and other artificial containers.

How can I protect myself and my family from mosquito bites?

• Apply insect repellent containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) when outdoors. Exposed skin is vulnerable to mosquito biting behaviors. Wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks and footwear. Always follow the application directions on the product label when using repellents.
• For children, apply on your own hands first and then transfer the repellent to your child. Never spray repellents directly on your child. Look for children’s repellents available locally for dose levels that fit children’s needs.
• Consider staying indoors at peak mosquito activity times. These times are when the light is changing in the sky – at sunset, dusk and early evening and at dawn and its approach at sunrise. Mosquitoes are naturally cued to seek their prey at these times every day.
• Sometimes our mosquito control division and the health department will issue health alerts when mosquito-borne diseases are prevalent. That’s when human avoidance of mosquitoes may be critical to you and yours.  

How can I reduce the number of mosquitoes around my home?

• Mosquitoes can be kept out of the home by keeping windows, doors and porches tightly screened (16-18 mesh). Check for places where screens may be torn, worn or do not fit.
• Adult mosquitoes prefer to rest in weeds and other tall vegetation. You can reduce the number of areas where adult mosquitoes can find shelter by cutting down tall grasses in your yard and near your home’s foundation.
• Since all mosquitoes develop in water once hatched from eggs laid in water or on the sides of vessels, remove any container that will retain even a tiny amount of rainwater or irrigation residue. Common artificial containers that can breed mosquitoes include bottles or cans, old tires without the rims, buckets, unused kiddie pools, pets’ watering dishes, horse troughs and boat wells. Do not allow water to accumulate in the saucers under flowerpots, waste tires, children’s play toys or pets’ dishes for more than 2 days.
• Clean leaf and pine needle debris from rain gutters. Check for water standing under and around structures or on flat roofs. Eliminate puddles under faucets or air conditioning units.
• Change the water in birdbaths and kiddie wading pools at least once a week. Stock garden ornamental pools with Gambusia, Mosquito Fish, or other top-feeding predaceous minnows.
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools not in use. A swimming pool left unattended by a family on vacation for a month can produce enough mosquitoes to result in neighborhood-wide nuisance. Swimming pool covers often breed domestic mosquitoes.
• Report abandoned swimming pools to mosquito control at 850.937.2188.
• Check for trapped water on tarps used to cover boats, pools and garden equipment. Arrange tarps to allow water to drain, avoiding accumulations in the creases and folds.
• Irrigate lawns and gardens carefully to prevent water from standing for days, especially in natural (bromeliad plants & tree holes) or artificial containers (various yard vessels).
• Call our division office at (850) 937-2188 for a premise inspection, for a service request, for mosquito fish stocking in permanent water gardens or other prevention and control solutions.