The Columbine Valley Mosquito Control Program is one of the few full-on Integrated Mosquito Management programs in the South Metro area. The Town’s program has three main components:
- Weekly larval site inspections.
- Weekly surveillance traps that are used to collect, count and speciate adult mosquitoes.
- As-needed fogging determined by trap counts designed to control adult mosquito activity.
Taken together, these activities represent an extremely proactive approach to mosquito control.
Fogging
The Town does not engage in scheduled weekly fogging, and instead relies almost exclusively on the data the surveillance traps collects. When fogging is appropriate, the Town only fogs late in the evening or at night. In addition, the Town only fogs when it is not windy, which helps control where the adulticide is distributed helping protect, among other things, bees and aquatic life in the nearby South Platte River. When fogging occurs:
- Avoid positioning yourself directly behind the truck as it fogs.
- It is safe to remain outside, but individuals may choose to go inside and batten down the hatches depending on personal sensitivities.
- All remnants from the fog trucks should be undetectable within a few minutes of the truck passing by.
To be notified when fogging will occur in Columbine Valley, contact Vector Disease Control at 303-428-5908.
Zika Virus Note
The Zika Virus is occasionally in the news, but note that the mosquito that causes this virus cannot live in the Colorado climate. To learn more, visit VDCI.