to combat the mosquito problem

By BETH LAKEY

Staff Writer

Troy citizens are becoming accustomed to slapping at mosquitoes and walking around with welts this summer.

The area has been saturated by rainfall the past couple of months, creating the perfect breeding grounds for the blood-sucking insects.

"We’re spraying every night it’s not raining ­ four hours a night, seven days a week," said Jake Wingard, director of Troy’s Public Works Department.

Wingard said his employees are concentrating efforts in "low terrain areas" where the water-loving pests breed.

Because of the high amount of rainfall this summer, Public Works employees have been working longer and harder to rid the city of mosquitoes.

"We’ve sprayed more this year than we did in the last five years," Wingard said.

Already, the city has purchased the necessary chemicals twice when, normally, only one purchase per year is made.

Although workers are out almost every night spraying, Wingard said citizens are still complaining and the city is doing all it can.

"No matter how much we spray, we’re not going to get rid of all of them," he said of the larger-than-normal mosquito population.

He offered some advice to curb the problem.

By not watering lawns late in the day, the number of mosquitoes could be reduced, Wingard said, adding watering earlier gives the ground time to absorb the moisture before the sun sets.

Since mosquitoes breed in standing water, it’s a good idea to:

· Empty cans, jars, buckets, drums, plastic wading pools and other used containers or turn them over when not in use.

· Drain and clean saucers under outdoor plant containers, pet watering dishes and birdbaths at least twice a week.

· Clean clogged roof gutters and repair leaky pipes and outside faucets so water does not collect.

· Maintain screens on doors and windows so mosquitoes cannot enter the home.

· Dispose of old automobile tires.