Orange County has teamed up with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences to hand out free mosquito traps to local residents.
Hurricane Ian left behind a wake of chaos as it passed through the state, including tens of thousands of acres of flooded land. The standing water is the perfect, sexy environment, for mosquitoes to get together and do their thing, and Orange County has seen a massive influx in the insects since the storm – which is a problem as mosquitoes can carry diseases that are harmful to humans and wildlife, including West Nile virus, Dengue Fever, Zika, and more.
The county started spraying flooded areas earlier in the month.
The traps, which were invented at the University of Florida, are lined with an insecticide that kills mosquitoes and their larvae, and they’re easy to use. They can cover 1,500 SF and last for up to three months.
The County is giving out 9,000 of the traps on a first-come, first-served basis at the following locations:
- UF / IFAS Extension Orange County, 6021 S. Conway Road, Orlando, FL 32812
- Orlo Vista Park, 1 N Powers Drive, Orlando, FL 32835
- Bithlo Community Park, 18501 Washington Avenue, Orlando, FL 32820