Following the announcement of three new public works department hires, Sheila Howard of Vector Disease Control Inc. provided the Indianola Board of Aldermen with a mosquito abatement report. Ward 3 Alderman Ruben Woods peppered Howard with questions and concerns about her report and the location of mosquito traps.
“I’m looking at your report and it doesn’t correspond to the zones that you have on the map,” Woods inquired. “It lists Hampton Street and others in that area as zone three and we also need to talk about movement of traps.”
After hearing the alderman’s concern, Howard explained that the program called for traps to be located in each zone and that movement of traps has come as a result of people tampering with the traps. “When we move a a trap from a particular area, it might be closer to another trap but it will still remain in the same zone,” she explained. “We do have traps called New Jersey traps that would be more secure but we would need residents’ permission to use their electricity to run them.”
Ward 5 Alderman Sam Brock Jr. inquired about a ditch area behind the old Modern Line facility that presents favorable conditions for mosquito breeding. He wanted to know what was being done in this area. Howard replied, “We are using granular insecticides which last about 90 days. They are designed to be a birth control for mosquitoes where it kills the eggs and larvae.” Indianola Mayor Ken Featherstone quipped, “You learn something new every day. I didn’t know mosquitoes had contraception.”
Ms. Howard and Alderman Woods bantered back and forth in what proved to be a very educational presentation for those gathered Monday evening.
“Female mosquitoes feed on human and animal hosts,” Howard explained. “Those are the ones that bite. Male mosquitoes live off plants and vegetation.”
