Empty homes can be mosquito haven in Southern Indiana

Clark County

Discussion

June 9, 2009

Owners leave behind items that collect standing water

RICHARD GOOTEE The News and Tribune Tue Jun 09, 2009, 01:49 PM EDT

Neglected and foreclosed, abandoned homes add one more obstacle to control mosquitoes, said Clark County Health Department official Doug Bentfield.

Though numbers are sporadic, the number of abandoned properties that need to be sprayed with chemicals to kill the bug’s larvae have increased, he said.

“This is costing the county money,” Bentfield said.

Most problems arise when owners leave items that collect water outside such as pools, bird baths and old tires. Even the children’s pools become a breeding ground for the mosquitoes if neglected.

“[It’s] the stagnant water where it’s ideal for them to be breeding,” said Tom Springstun of the Floyd County Purdue extension office.

The best way to combat pools of water is to remove the source. But Bentfield said he is not authorized to take any items from a property during the foreclosure process, nor can he puncture it so it drains, though the latter might not work even if he could.

“Mosquitoes can breed in something the size of a Dixie cup,” he said.

The only recourse Bentfield has is to spray the larvae so they can’t hatch. For contained water the spray lasts a month, but if the pool is not contained such as a pond without a liner, it needs to be sprayed every two weeks, he said.

Once the bank gains possession of the property, it usually takes over the upkeep of the property, but sometimes the deed has been transferred and the county isn’t aware of the owners, unless it sees someone on the property or a notice appears on the door.

Bentfield said he is still treating properties that he had last mosquito season, which ends in October. Suing the owner or the bank is an option, but it is long and complicated he said.

Another commonplace for mosquitoes to breed is gutters, Bentfield said, especially if they haven’t been cleaned.

Bentfield said it’s difficult to pinpoint how much homes going through the foreclosure process cost taxpayers because each situation is different. For example, Bentfield said one home had three feet of water in its basement, which can also serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Another property has a pool, a low-lying area and two fish ponds.

Springstun said the severity of mosquito season is difficult to predict because temperature plays a large part in their reproduction process. Contrary to popular belief, early season rains have kept the numbers fairly low, Bentfield said.

“ When we get good rainstorms it actually washes out all the larvae,” he said. “As long as we keep getting consistent rains, we will be better off.”

Both officials said West Nile Virus, a disease carried by mosquitoes, still exists and could possibly spread once again to Indiana. The best way to protect against mosquitoes is to get rid of possible breeding grounds and use repellent that contains DEET, which lasts longer. Springstun warned that small children sometimes have reactions to DEET, but it has a longer lasting effect. Bentfield also advised people to wear long sleeves and pants during dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.

Don’t get bit

• Avoid places and times when mosquitoes bite. Generally, the peak biting periods occur just before and after sunset and again just before dawn.

• Be sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good repair.

• Wear appropriate clothing. Long-sleeved tops and long pants made of tightly woven materials keep mosquitoes away from the skin. Be sure, too, that your clothing is light colored.

• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in an unscreened structure and to protect small babies any time.

• When it is necessary to be outdoors, apply insect repellent as indicated on the repellent label. The more DEET a product contains, the longer the repellent can protect against mosquito bites. However, concentrations higher than 50 percent do not increase the length of protection. For most situations, 10 percent to 25 percent DEET is adequate. Apply repellents to clothes whenever possible; apply sparingly to exposed skin if label permits.