ENGLEWOOD — A mosquito pool collected at Don Ward Field in Englewood tested positive for West Nile virus, prompting local efforts to treat the surrounding area.
News Center 7’s Kylie Bridgeman was at the park today when the spraying was being done.
Following the positive test result, the city of Englewood contracted Mosquito Joe to perform three rounds of mosquito spraying.
Each treatment round is designed to remain effective for three weeks.
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Kim Maalouf is the owner of Mosquito Joe, the business carrying out the treatments.
She emphasized that mosquitoes pose health risks beyond being an everyday pest.
“It is something that people need to be aware of, that mosquitoes aren’t just a nuisance, but they are also something that can carry diseases,” Maalouf said.
Maalouf noted that recent weather conditions in the area have led to an increase in insect activity. Warm temperatures combined with heavy rainfall have driven up mosquito numbers.
“The weather is really warm. That creates misuse, plus a lot of rain. I mean, we’ve had a lot of rain here recently. And so that activity is really boosted, kind of that mosquito activity out there,” Maalouf said.
To target the insects effectively, crews spray foliage up to 15 feet off the ground. Mosquitoes generally do not fly higher than that elevation.
“What we do is we spray, we treat for the foliage, so where those mosquitoes are residing,” Maalouf said.
In addition to professional treatment, Maalouf advised property owners to monitor standing water, noting that mosquitoes require as little as a bottle cap of water to breed. Common breeding sites include saucers beneath flower pots and outdoor toys that collect water.
“It’s just the little things like that saucer that’s below the flower pot that you have sitting outside. Maybe your kid’s toy is outside and is holding some water. Just periodically throughout the week go around and, you know, kind of what we call tip-and-toss,” Maalouf said.
She noted that taking these steps helps protect families and property.
“I want to make sure that everybody can enjoy their time outside and spend it outdoors with their family and friends,” Maalouf said.
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