Mosquito Control

From late May/early June through September, the City cooperates with the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) to identify and control mosquito populations with larviciding and spraying. The program consists of: • LARVICIDING STANDING WATER: Treatments are made monthly by MDA personnel to known areas of standing water to control mosquito larva that will prevent development into adult mosquitoes. • SPRAYING TO CONTROL ADULT MOSQUITOES: MDA has designated Wednesday nights for adult mosquito spraying in the city (when thresholds are met). Spraying will only begin after dark and may continue until midnight or later. If you see a truck in your community spraying during the day, please note that it is not from the State of Maryland. As a precaution, MDA advises residents to bring in pets, stay inside their homes and close their windows while the spray truck is in the vicinity. Please remain in your home for at least 30 minutes after the truck has left. If there are people outside when the truck passes by, MDA will not spray and will not return that night. Spray applications are made by truck-mounted ultra-low volume (ULV) sprayers. The spray schedule shifts, and the frequency will be determined by surveillance data collected and complaints received. This means that your neighborhood may or may not be sprayed each week. For MDA personnel to spray, they will first survey the area of concern using traps and landing rate counts, (they may also request access to your property to place a trap for their survey). If mosquito count thresholds are met, they may make a control spray application in the neighborhood, but please be aware that they do not spray individual properties.

More information, tips, and resources can be found on our website www.collegeparkmd.gov/insects#mosquito.

Request for Exemption from Adult Mosquito Control Services Any resident who wishes to have his/her property frontage excluded from adult mosquito control pesticide applications by truck-mounted ultra-low volume (ULV) sprayers must fill out this exemption form annually and return it to: Program Supervisor, Mosquito Control Section 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway Annapolis, MD 21401

If you don't have a printer, the local office for MDA Mosquito Control in College Park has offered to send residents a form via DocuSign. To request the form be sent to you via email, please send an email to skeetermd1.mda@maryland.gov.

TIPS TO KEEP MOSQUITOES AWAY

Follow the three D’s to keep mosquitoes away:

  • Drain: Standing water attracts mosquitoes. Empty out any outside water containers near your home at least once per week
  • Dress: Dark clothing attracts mosquitoes. Wear long sleeves, long pants, and light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
  • Defend: Properly apply an EPA-registered repellent such as DEET, picaridin, IR 3535, or oil of lemon-eucalyptus. For permanent areas of standing water (ponds, rain barrels, etc), contact the City's Department of Public Works for a mosquito torpedo which releases an insect growth regulator in water that prevents adult mosquito development.

For more tips to avoid mosquito bites, visit the MDA's Mosquito Control website.