Mosquito Management
Public Works Building
4277 Wire Rd, Suite 300
-
(334) 501-3000 -
webpw@auburnalabama.org -
- M-F
- 7AM-4PM
-
{{SocialMediaLinks}}
**MOSQUITO ABATEMENT HAS ENDED FOR THE 2024 SEASON.**
Requests for the 2025 season can be received beginning April 15, 2025.
The City of Auburn engages in mosquito management to combat diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. The three approaches we use for mosquito management are:
- Educating citizens on how they can manage mosquitoes around their homes and neighborhoods.
- If recommended by local health officials, using a truck mounted sprayer/fogger.
A physical right of entry / indemnification form must be submitted by mail or by dropping off at the Public Works facility prior to any mosquito abatement procedures. Abatement occurs on Friday mornings.
Mosquito treatment is available, upon request, May 1 through September 30, annually.
Education
We advocate personal responsibility as the initial approach to mitigating mosquito issues. Citizens are advised to follow Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommendations such as using repellent to ward off mosquitoes, wearing protective clothing and focusing on source reduction by removing standing water from around homes as the most effective way to ward off mosquitoes.
Adulticiding and Larviciding (including use of a Truck-Mounted Sprayer/Fogger)
When recommended by public health officials for the eradication of mosquitoes that may carry diseases, the City will use truck-mounted sprayers for mosquito abatement. In the past, we have received complaints from residents who have asked us not to use the sprayer because of respiratory issues and/or organic gardening. When we receive such complaints, we work to avoid spraying those specific locations.
The active ingredient in the pesticide we use in our backpack sprayer and truck-mounted sprayer/fogger is sumithrin, which is widely used across the U.S. to control mosquitoes. The effect of sumithrin is scheduled to last up to four weeks. Spinosad is the active ingredient in the pesticide used for larviciding, which is also scheduled to last four weeks.
It is important to keep in mind that the primary carrier of the Zika Virus is the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is a day-biting mosquito. Therefore, it is a bit more difficult to control when compared to other mosquito populations in the area that are primarily evening/night biters.