Dry conditions keep down Tulsa County mosquito populations

The Tulsa City-County Health Department operates 50 mosquito traps throughout the county and collects from them once a week. The samples are then tested for West Nile Virus, said John Baker, manager of environmental services for the department. The virus has not yet been found this year in Tulsa County, but officials have been collecting samples for only about a month. Last year, two of the nearly 400 pools tested were positive for the virus, he said. “That’s an extremely low number,” he said. The Health Department has five trucks equipped with foggers to send out for mosquito spraying. They will be dispatched first to areas where West Nile has been found or where a high number of residents have reported numerous mosquitoes, Baker said. Homeowners should survey their property after it rains for any water that has pooled and empty any containers at least twice a week. Pools should be covered, birdbaths should be hosed out, tall grass should be mowed, and gutters should be checked for standing water, he said. Residents should also check for secure windows and tight-fitting screens, he said. People who are looking to protect themselves against mosquito bites should wear long sleeves and pants and use an insect repellent containing DEET, he said. The populations found in traps have been small this year, and the number of calls to the mosquito hotline have been less than half of what they were at this time last year, Baker said. “Our weather pattern is probably most indicative of that,” he said, but that could change after some rain.

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