Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
INFORMATION ITEM <br /> 1 <br /> ���� �� ��� � � � f���� <br /> � ���-�B NI( z; � ����� ~� � U <br /> �������`��� �����4;(f (1, <br /> :,6tfit Fv i(„�G <br /> e ffr e y IL, ThODO��Q� Direct8r <br /> &8EK8ORAN•UK8TO: Commissioner Barry Jacobs <br /> Board of Orange County Commissioners <br /> Bonnie B. Hammersley, Orange County Manager <br /> .� <br /> FROM: Jeff / ' <br /> � i <br /> DATE: January 23, 2017 <br /> RE: Mosquito Population Control <br /> In October, 2016, in response to your petition regarding potential mosquito spraying on Orange County <br /> properties and its detrimental effects on other pollinating insects, staff confirmed that Orange County, Carrboro, <br /> Chapel Hill and Hillsborough do not spray or fog for mosquito control. Avoiding these mosquito spraying <br /> practices indeed prevents any unintended consequences or harm to bees and other pollinating insects. <br /> According to the Orange County Health Department's "Fight the Bite" webpage, Orange County residents can <br /> best protect themselves from mosquito bites and mosquito-borne illness by reducing their exposure mosquitos <br /> and to reduce mosquito breeding grounds. More information can be found at: <br /> www.orangecountync.gov/departments/health/fight the bite tkks and mosquitoes.php <br /> Several County staff across Asset Management Services,the Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks, and <br /> Recreation (DEAPR), the Orange County Health Department's Environmental Health Division, Orange County <br /> Planning & Engineering's Stormwater Division, Solid Waste Management,and the Risk Manager are working to <br /> manage programs to help County residents protect themselves and to minimize mosquito breeding grounds on <br /> County property. These staff are also working together to educate the public and promote available resources <br /> to control mosquitos and limit harmful effects of these insects. Staff also continues to collaborate with other <br /> Orange County jurisdictions (including OWASA, Orange County Schools, and Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools) <br /> toward this goal. <br /> These control and education measures are as follows: <br /> I. Orange County, Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough practice mosquito control through active site <br /> management measures such as reducing standing water, removing inappropriate vegetation, and <br /> circulating water that cannot be drained. Mosquito breeding is naturally limited in bodies of water that <br /> have a depth of greater than one foot,that circulate, and are free of surface vegetation. Mosquitos can <br /> breed in very small quantities of water, even in rainwater that temporarily collects in undergrowth, so <br /> no management protocol will remove all potential mosquito breeding grounds. Mosquito management <br /> efforts are focused on more permanent potential breeding grounds such as storm water management <br /> ponds, rain barrels, bio-retention structures, parking and pedestrian area trench drains, and other wet <br /> P.O. Box 818l * 131 West Margaret Lane, 3rd Floor* Hillsborough, North Carolina 27Z78 <br /> Telephone:919 245-2625 <br /> Fax:919-644-3001 <br /> E'mai|:jethompson@oenXecountync.gov <br />