City of Lubbock working to supress mosquito population

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - The heavy rainfall across the South Plains has left standing water all around the area. Thousands of mosquitos have flocked to this stagnate water.

Steven Boston with the City of Lubbock Vector Control Department explained what is being done to keep the mosquito population down.

“The cubic species that we have here lay the eggs on the water surface and they hatch off and go down; she may lay anywhere from 100 to 500 eggs in one batch of eggs,” said Boston.

Boston says there are at least 27 different species of mosquitoes residing in Lubbock lakes, puddles and ditches.

“Now that the rains have subsided, we can go out and really start putting down a lot more lavicide into standing water,” Boston said.

The city is working to treat high priority areas first. Setting traps in standing water shows where the breeding population is most prevalent. However, Boston says there is only so much the city can do.

“We are suppressing that population, we are not totally eliminating it, because that is not possible to achieve,” said Boston.

The biggest challenge is the continuous rainy weather; it keeps washing away the pesticides and making the areas harder to reach.

“The soil is so saturated, we would get stuck if we even tried to get close enough to spray it. The only way that cycle right there is going to break immediately is for this weather to change,” said Boston.

Boston says keeping lawns mowed and edged is the best way to prevent standing water from sticking around.

“When the sun does come out, you have reduced that vegetative cover to where the sunlight can get there and wind can start drying things out,” Boston said.

As the South Plains warms up, the standing water is expected to dry out. However, Boston recommends staying covered up and applying bug spray when going outside. Keeping lawns mowed and free of standing water is the best way to keep mosquitos from buzzing around the home.

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