Caddo Parish to use drone technology to fight mosquitos

It’s mosquito season and Caddo Parish Animal Services and Mosquito Control is using drone technology to fight the bugs.
ASMC works to combat the mosquito population for over 900 square miles, utilizing eight mosquito trucks to respond across the entire parish.
This year, they are introducing new, state-of-the-art drone technology to assist in mosquito eradication efforts.
The drone will spray insecticide into hard-to-reach areas in Caddo Parish to kill mosquito larvae and keep the population under control before the breeding season kicks into high gear in the summer months.
“We are excited about being able to treat mosquitoes in the parish in areas that we haven’t been able to treat before,” said Caddo Mosquito Control Manager Brian Glascock. “We are able to fly the drone over these areas and drop larvicide, hitting the mosquito larvae before they become adults.”
The parish will also continue to collect and send mosquito specimens daily to the LSU veterinary lab for West Nile testing, which continues to be present in Caddo Parish.
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Mosquito populations develop and flourish in areas of standing water. ASMC encourages all citizens to help control the mosquito population and lower the risk of contracting West Nile by adopting the following practices:
Wear a mosquito repellent containing 15% DEET or higher
Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors
Close windows and doors; eliminate standing water around your home
Clean and chlorinate swimming pools and empty pets’ water pans daily.
AQUBAC BTI granules are available for Caddo citizens to help control the mosquito population. BTI granules kill the growth of mosquito larvae in standing water. It can be applied to areas that contain aquatic life, fish and plants and to areas used by or in contact with humans, animals, horses, livestock, pets, birds or wildlife. BTI granules SHOULD NOT be used in drinking water or in water intended for human consumption. Citizens interested in obtaining granules may contact ASMC at (318)226-6624, or come by 1500 Monty Street between 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Citizens may also receive real-time, up-to-the-minute updates on when their neighborhoods are being treated for mosquito control thanks to Parish’s new Everbridge notification system.
Parish residents may sign up for this free service by visiting www.caddo.org, and clicking on “Everbridge Sign-Up”. Once enrolled, citizens can receive texts, emails or phone calls notifying them of when their particular neighborhood and/or zip code is being treated by Animal Control.

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