The warming temperatures and recent rains in Wichita Falls, Texas have led to an increase in mosquito activity. To combat this, the Wichita County Health District has implemented various methods to control the mosquito population during a recent meeting of the Wichita County Commissioners.
According to Andrew Skinner, vector control coordinator for the Wichita County Health District, spraying mosquitoes in water is a more effective method than using spray trucks that only target flying mosquitoes. This is because female mosquitoes are more concentrated and easier to capture in water. The health district also uses traps to capture female mosquitoes and test them for viruses. If the presence of viruses such as West Nile virus is detected, they begin spraying in affected areas.
Recent rains around Lake Wichita have prompted increased vigilance in monitoring mosquito activity for signs of the virus. The health district aims to minimize the mosquito population and reduce the risk of mosquito-borne diseases by being proactive and using various control methods. In addition, they are working on improving their interactive spray map for better accessibility and readability, allowing residents to see when their neighborhoods will be sprayed next.