Beaufort County Plans a Major Mosquito Blitz
Well, folks, if you’re living in Beaufort County and have noticed a sharp upswing in the buzzing menaces known as mosquitoes, hold on to your bug spray because relief might be just around the corner. This nuisance influx, mostly a result of the excess water left by Tropical Storm Debby, has prompted the county officials to crack down on these unwanted guests.
Up in the Air for Mosquito Control
Beaufort County has decided to go all hands on deck (or rather, all hands on helicopter) to combat the problem. Yep, you heard it right. They’re planning to use a helicopter to carry out their “Mosquito Control” initiative. Imagining that gives a sort of cinematic feel, doesn’t it?
Homeowners in the county who’ve had enough of these pesky biters can put in a service request, use Beaufort Connect, or simply drop a voicemail at the county office to be part of this mosquito control operation.
However, it’s important to know that not just anyone can get their area sprayed right away. According to the service request website, “All areas require a mosquito threshold to be met before spray.” This basically means that the county will first measure the mosquito population in your area with traps. If your home doesn’t already have a trap nearby, they might need to put one to get an accurate count.
How Does the Mosquito Boom Work?
A quick word from Gregory Brian Polster, a local pest control expert, explains to us that mosquito numbers skyrocket because of standing water. He told us that after a larva hatches in stagnant water, it generally takes about 5-7 days for it to mature into a blood-hungry adult mosquito.
“We all of a sudden got a bunch of rain in areas that didn’t have a lot of standing water before, so it caused an explosion of mosquitoes in our area,” Polster explains.
So, there you have it. Quick recap: Mosquitoes are having a party in Beaufort County thanks to the standing water left behind by the recent tropical storm, but don’t worry because help is on the way. A county-wide helicopter mission is shaping up to spray-down the mosquito population. However, the spray will only be dispatched to places where the mosquito count meets a certain threshold.
It’s exciting to think about our local area buzzing with helicopters instead of mosquitoes soon, and here’s to hoping for quieter nights without having to swat away at these pesky biters.
Rest assured, the War on Mosquitoes in Beaufort County is well underway!
