City Promotes Mosquito Prevention Amid Summer Heat

Staff Report

EDINBURG TX – City officials are urging residents to take proactive steps to protect against mosquito-borne illnesses as summer temperatures continue to rise.

The City of Edinburg’s Department of Solid Waste Management has implemented ongoing mosquito control efforts, including larviciding, call tracking, and routine surveys to monitor mosquito activity. When positive mosquito samples are identified within city limits, ground-based thermal foggers and ultra-low volume (ULV) spray equipment are used, weather permitting.

Residents are encouraged to follow the “Drain, Dress, Defend” method to reduce mosquito breeding and bites:

• Drain standing water around homes, including in buckets, tires, and flower pots, as even small amounts can attract mosquitoes.
• Dress in long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Light, loose clothing is recommended, as mosquitoes can bite through tight fabrics and are drawn to dark colors.
• Defend by using insect repellent containing active ingredients such as DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, or 2-undecanone.

The city also recommends keeping grass trimmed, cleaning out rain gutters, sealing water deposits, and maintaining birdbaths weekly.

Mosquito control measures are conducted when weather conditions allow — specifically, during dry periods with wind speeds below 10 mph.

Source – City of Edinburg.