Preventive Measures
Measures For Horse Owners:
- Eliminating standing water on their property, to prevent mosquito breeding.
- Housing horses inside at dawn, dusk, and night, which are peak mosquito times.
- Avoiding leaving lights on inside horse stables in the evening or overnight.
- Placing incandescent bulbs away from the perimeter of stables.
- Using fans to create air movement over stabled horses.
- Removing all birds, including chickens, that are in or close to stables.
- Using mosquito repellant on horses.
- Fogging stables with pesticide in the evening.
- Checking the property for dead blue jays and crows, and reporting them to the local health department.
- Having your horses vaccinated by your local veterinarian.
Personal Measures:
- Avoid outdoor activities between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are likely to be biting.
- If you must be outdoors when mosquitoes are active, cover up by wearing shoes, socks, long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Light colors are less attractive to mosquitoes.
- Use mosquito repellent containing DEET according to label directions. Adults should use repellent with no more than 30 percent DEET; for children, 10 percent or less.
- Keep windows and doors closed and be sure screens are in good repair.
Eliminate Mosquito Breeding Sites:
- Eliminate any standing water that collects on your property.
- Remove all discarded tires from your property or put them under cover so they don’t collect water.
- Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water-holding containers.
- Make sure roof gutters drain properly, clean clogged gutters in the spring and fall.
- Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs. If not in use, keep empty and covered.
- Drain water from pool covers.
- Change the water in bird baths at least once a week.
- Turn over plastic wading pools, wheelbarrows, etc. when not in use.
- Remind or help neighbors to eliminate breeding sites on their properties.
