Vector Control Zoom meeting Nov. 5 will cover 'ankle-biter' mosquito

This new breed is not only a nuisance but also a health risk. There’s only so much bathing in OFF with citronella candles people can take. With all of us dealing with the pandemic, outdoor living is our saving grace here in South OC.

Other cities have addressed spraying needs. The Governor has encouraged Holidays outdoors this year.

The City NEEDS to address this ASAP!

These mosquitos are killing me. Please help get rid of them forever!

I/We have had to deal with these pests the last two to three years. Good money goes to Vector Control and the issue has not been resolved but has gotten worst.This is a major health risk and something will have to be done starting next spring. After the election, next year, I am pretty sure some spraying will have to be done at the City/County or State expense. (Although I do not mind paying some cost) There are people at the city, state and federal level that I am sure will help with a little encouragement.

thank you for this article

We due need this to get this fixed, normal I seat in my Backyard and have Coffee now I gt beat

Yes please let ‘s eliminate this mosquito they are very aggressive and bite the hell out of my legs!

I honestly wonder what Vector Control actually does for the city. They won't deal with the rats, they won't deal with the coyotes, they won't deal with the bunnies, and now they won't deal with the mosquitos. There are areas of standing, stagnant water all along the greenbelt at Trabuco and Alicia. Does Vector Control treat this water? Who knows?! I have taken to buying bird and wildlife safe pond dunks that prevent mosquito larvae from developing, and I drop one in there every couple of weeks when I walk my dog.
Would be nice if Vector Control would step up and do.....something.

We encourage Mission Viejo residents to take part in the educational Zoom meeting on November 5 at 5:30 p.m. (link in article above). There, you will learn what steps can be taken to help minimize or eradicate the Aedes mosquito in our community.

I’ve lived in Mission Viejo for 30+ year, and the mosquito infestation is the worst it’s ever been. Vector Control does absolutely no abatement, or other actions to combat this. I also agree, they take no action to eradicate the growing rat population in our city.

i've lived in Mission Viejo since 1971 and I never experienced a mosquito problem until this year. On the greenbelt creek by Silleros there seems to be always standing water showing that the drainage is not properly managed. Perhaps the City needs to be more proactive to deal with this issue.

The Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District is looking forward to hosting a community wide Zoom session for Mission Viejo residents on Thursday November 5th at 5:30 pm.

OC Vector is tasked with many things, but we are expressly not authorized to treat and/or control rabbits and coyotes, as noted in an earlier post. We are, however, responsible for controlling and treating of mosquitoes, rats, filth flies, and Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA) as they can transmit disease or cause anaphylactic shock.

When addressing the vectors, the District is tasked with treating, we utilize an industry wide program known as an Integrated Vector Management program (IVM) to address mosquito related issues. IVM focuses on education including community engagement and eliminating breeding sources as the foundational component of a successful mosquito control program.

The primary reason residents have seen an increase in mosquito activity this year (or the past few years), are that a new breed of mosquitoes entered the county in 2015. The Aedes aegypti mosquito was first detected in one neighborhood in Mission Viejo in 2015. However, the residents in that neighborhood took an active role in checking their property, eliminated water sources, and greatly reduced mosquito activity. In 2016, the mosquitoes again entered Mission Viejo as they continued to expand their spread throughout the county, and all of southern California. Aedes mosquitoes breed in small backyard sources and do not fly very far, and this means that if you are experiencing mosquitoes on your property, either you or one of your neighbors around you has a breeding source and is unknowingly the source of breeding. With over 3.2 million resident and the potential for the Aedes mosquito to breed on every property, it is important that residents routinely check their property for breeding sources and remove those sources to prevent further breeding. Mosquito control is a shared responsibility, and every resident needs to do their part in mosquito control.

For large sources, such as creeks, channels or large ponds or puddles that do not dry out within 7 days, we encourage residents to report these water sources to the district. In Mission Viejo alone, the District currently inspects and treats several channels, creeks, and other water sources, and routinely inspects another 43 areas where standing water cannot be drained such as ditches, loading docks, parks, and clogged drains. In addition, we monitor and treat 30 pools that are out-of-service and can be potential breeding sources.

Residential adult mosquito control (spraying) is not a long-term solution - it will only kill the adult mosquitoes present during the application and residents will continue to experience mosquito activity within 1-2 days after the treatment. We encourage residents to set up an inspection request for their property, and if no breeding is found then branch out from there to find the breeding source around your home. You can set up the inspection by calling 949-654-2421 or visit ocvector.org and hit “Services” drop down on the home page and then hit the “Report an Issue” link.

To learn more, visit ocvector.org/do-it-yourself-solutions-for-mosquito-issues and watch our informational videos, print out the DIY checklist, and explore our self-help page for an abundance of information and educational materials.

We are here to help and provide you with help, recommendations, property inspections and the resources you need to eliminate these pesky ankle biters from your homes and yards.

Really Vector Control - just spray - tell us to remain indoors until it’s no longer toxic. If I want an inspection I have to pay. It’s enough already - what’s to meet about just handle the issue.

Wow, what a bunch of whiners!! Thanks to the MV Staff for all they are doing. Juergen Gabriel - it's do not due.