Spraying for Mosquitoes
The City of Coppell Environmental Health Department schedules mosquito sprayings based on positive findings of West Nile virus in mosquito traps placed around the city or if a human case is confirmed. Once located, the area around the positive finding is targeted for spraying in an attempt to help limit the spread of the disease. As a precaution, when spraying takes place in your neighborhood residents are recommended to stay indoors.
Spraying may begin as early as 9 p.m. with the goal of ending by 5 a.m. The Environmental Health Department schedules spraying events during overnight hours for several reasons:
a. The majority of mosquito species are most active around dusk and again at dawn. We want to spray when mosquitoes are most likely to be out and flying.
b. In order for the spray droplets to remain close to the ground, applications must be made during a thermal inversion. This climatic condition normally occurs at night as ground temperature cools. Applications made during the middle of a hot day will be carried by rising currents of warm air straight up into the atmosphere.
c. Citizens are less likely to be out and about after dark minimizing human exposure.
The City of Coppell Environmental Health Department invites you to join us in our fight to keep Coppell free from the threat of West Nile Virus, and other mosquito-borne diseases. When warmer weather comes again you can make a very real difference simply by regularly inspecting your yard or property for areas or artificial containers like tires, pools, buckets, and rain gutters where transient water may collect and provide a perfect habitat for mosquito eggs and larva. If you think there is nothing you can do to reduce mosquito populations and to help yourself and your neighbors, think again. Your efforts are probably the most important aspect of mosquito control.
Texas climate is always unpredictable and temperatures vary throughout the seasons. As a result, mosquito season in Texas is year-round. The Environmental Health Department's goal is to begin reducing mosquito populations as early in the season as possible. By eliminating containers, cleaning rain gutters, and maintaining swimming and ornamental pools you can stop the mosquito life cycle in its tracks, and it’s not too late this year to identify sheltered places which mosquitoes may use to hibernate. By naturally reducing mosquito populations you also help to limit the amount of chemical pesticides needed to combat this serious threat to public health. The plain truth is: Your actions matter.
It is important to continue practicing source reduction strategies to help eliminate standing/stagnant water from containers and low-lying areas in and around your home and business. For more information contact the City of Coppell Environmental Health Office by email or call 972-462-5177.