Mosquito Abatement
Local Mosquito Species
Recent News
Mosquito season is here!
Families are spending more time outdoors enjoying the warm weather and sunshine – in between the frequent spring showers seen across the region. This warmer, wetter weather directly contributes to an increase in mosquito activity.
The mosquito species that can transmit mosquito-borne diseases such the West Nile virus will be especially active from now through the end of summer. Commissioner Noack’s Mosquito Abatement Team will continue to monitor disease activity in the local mosquito population through the summer months and will take all appropriate action to safeguard the health of Precinct 3 residents and their families.
The Mosquito Abatement Team’s efforts include the following:
Surveillance: mosquito traps are set and collected throughout the precinct on a weekly basis. The resulting mosquito samples are identified and tested for disease activity. Team members also search for and investigate potential mosquito breeding sites within the county right-of-way.
Treatment: areas shown to have disease activity in the mosquito population are treated using truck-mounted ULV (ultra-low volume) sprayers, which produce a fine mist that carries a chemical designed to target adult mosquitoes while they are in flight. Breeding sites found within the county right-of-way are also treated with chemicals designed to kill mosquitoes still in the larval stage of development.
Education: The Mosquito Abatement Team offers free property evaluations for Precinct 3 residents, including the identification of mosquito breeding sites, advice on how to mitigate those breeding sites, and recommendations for treatment actions that residents can perform on their own property. Team members are also available to attend community events and neighborhood meetings, as well as speak in front of civic groups, clubs, and other organizations to present information that might be relevant to the attendees. One-on-one advice is also offered over the phone whenever needed.
Mosquito season is right around the corner
Warmer temperatures and spring time showers bring increased mosquito activity. Now is the time to check your yard for mosquito breeding sites and stock up on insect repellant.
Mosquitoes need standing water to reproduce and they can use something as small as a bottle cap. Most local mosquito species don’t fly farther than a few hundred feet away from where they hatch, so the majority of mosquitoes found in the yard are locally-grown. Consult the attached flyer for clues about where to find mosquito breeding sites on your property.
Insect repellant is your family’s last line of defense against mosquito-borne diseases like the West Nile Virus. Be sure to wear it whenever you are spending time outdoors. There are many different active ingredients available on the market; make sure you find a product that works for you. The best protection comes from active ingredients that have been registered with the EPA such as DEET, Picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
Spraying scheduled for areas with positive West Nile virus mosquito samples.
Spring, TX – The first mosquito samples of the 2022 season to test positive for the West Nile virus have been found in Montgomery County Precinct 3. The positive samples were collected in the 77380 and 77382 ZIP codes.
Treatment of the affected areas will begin Tuesday, June 7. A second round of treatment is scheduled for Thursday, June 9. Treatment will include spraying all streets and county rights of way within the affected area.
“Our office is working diligently to minimize the risk of contracting a mosquito-borne illness,” Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack said.
Residents can check the treatment activity map (https://www.precinct3.org/mosquito) to learn when spraying will occur in their neighborhoods.
Residents should avoid outdoor activity during the scheduled treatment hours. It also is recommended that residents take personal protective measures, such as wearing insect repellent and dressing in long, light, loose clothing whenever outdoors.
“The one thing that all mosquitoes require for reproduction is a source of water. Be sure to turn over or remove anything from your yard that can hold water,” Mosquito Abatement Director Justin Fausek said. “If you have areas where you can’t get rid of the water, such as a birdbath or meter box, you can treat it with a larvicide containing BTI instead.”
For residents who would like assistance identifying mosquito-breeding sites in their drainage ditches or in the county right of way near their home, call 936-522-9352 to set up an appointment. Our teams can provide customized advice on how to deal with these issues.
Please direct questions via email to justin.fausek@mctx.org or call the mosquito phone line at 936-522-9352.
Remember to Think WET!
Wear repellent
Eliminate standing water
Treat water you can’t eliminate
Montgomery County Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack’s mosquito abatement team has seen an increase in West Nile virus activity in the region compared to this same time last year.+
- 50 positive mosquito samples in Montgomery County to date.
- 33 operational zones have tested positive this year.
- 45 spray missions have been completed, treating up to four zones per mission to date.
Reminder, the mosquitoes that transmit the West Nile virus are most active from dusk until dawn. The use of mosquito repellent is encouraged when you go outdoors.
Please refer to the Treatment Activity Map on Precinct3.org to see when treatment will take place in your area.
Montgomery County Precinct 3 will continue monitoring for West Nile and treat for mosquitoes in areas where disease activity is present.
For more information call the Precinct 3 Mosquito Abatement Department at 281-364-4203 or visit https://www.precinct3.org/mosquito-abatement/
Two additional mosquito samples have tested positive for the West Nile virus in the area of the Grogan’s Mill village in The Woodlands.
Treatment of the affected areas is scheduled to begin on the evening of Friday, June 26, at 8:30 p.m. A second round of treatment is scheduled for the evening of Monday, June 29. Treatment will include spraying all streets and county rights of way within the affected areas.
Residents can check the treatment activity map to learn when spraying will occur in their neighborhoods.
Residents are advised to avoid outdoor activity during the scheduled treatment hours. Personal protective measures, such as insect repellent, wearing long, light loose clothing, eliminating standing water, also should be taken.
For residents who would like assistance identifying mosquito breeding sites in their drainage ditches or in the county right of way near their home, call 281-364-4203 to set up an appointment. Our teams can provide customized advice on how to deal with these issues.
Remember to Think WET!
Wear repellent
Eliminate standing water
Treat water you can’t eliminate
A mosquito sample has tested positive for the West Nile virus in Montgomery County Precinct 2 in the Alden Bridge village of The Woodlands.
Treatment of the affected areas will be completed by Precinct 3 and is scheduled to begin on the evening of Friday, July 10, at 8:30 p.m. A second round of treatment is scheduled for the evening of Monday, July 13. Treatment will include spraying all streets and county rights of way within the affected areas.
Residents can check the treatment activity map to learn when spraying will occur in their neighborhoods.
Residents are advised to avoid outdoor activity during the scheduled treatment hours. Personal protective measures, such as insect repellent, wearing long, light loose clothing, eliminating standing water, also should be taken.
For residents who would like assistance identifying mosquito breeding sites in their drainage ditches or in the county right of way near their home, call 281-364-4203 to set up an appointment. Our teams can provide customized advice on how to deal with these issues.
Remember to Think WET!
Wear repellent
Eliminate standing water
Treat water you can’t eliminate
First mosquito sample of 2020 season tests positive for West Nile Virus.
Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack’s mosquito abatement team disclosed the first West Nile virus positive mosquito sample of the 2020 season was identified earlier today. The mosquito was trapped in one of the department’s operational zones in the Panther Creek area in The Woodlands.
Treatment of the affected area is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 6. A second round of treatment is scheduled for the evening of Monday, June 8. Treatment will include spraying all streets and county rights of way within the affected area.
“Our office is working diligently to minimize the risk of residents contracting a mosquito-borne illness,” Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack said.
Residents can check the treatment activity map to learn when spraying will occur in their neighborhoods.
Residents are advised to avoid outdoor activity during the scheduled treatment hours. Personal protective measures, such as insect repellent, wearing long, light, loose clothing and eliminating standing water, also should be taken.
“The one thing that all mosquitoes require for reproduction is a source of water. Be sure to turn over or remove anything from your yard that can hold water,” Montgomery County Mosquito Abatement Director Justin Fausek said. “If you have areas where you can’t get rid of water, such as a birdbath or meter box, you can treat it with a larvicide containing BTI instead.”
For residents who would like assistance identifying mosquito-breeding sites in their drainage ditches or in the county right of way near their home, call 281-364-4203 to set up an appointment. Our teams can provide customized advice on how to deal with these issues.
Please direct questions via email to justin.fausek@mctx.org or call the mosquito phone line at 281-364-4203.
Our mission
We strive to help residents protect themselves and their families from mosquito-borne illness. We do this by following a comprehensive strategy that takes advantage of multiple mosquito control methods that reduce the public’s exposure to disease while maintaining a quality environment.
Surveillance
During mosquito season, which runs from May through October, the Mosquito Abatement Team sets traps once per week in all areas of the precinct to track mosquito-borne disease activity and inform treatment decisions.
The CDC Gravid Trap (pictured right) targets female Culex quinquefasciatus (the Southern House Mosquito) who are ready to lay eggs.
The CDC Light Trap targets many common species including Aedes albopictus (Asian Tigers) and “floodplain” mosquitoes like Aedes vexans and Psorophora ferox.
BG Sentinel Traps target mosquito species that prefer to take bloodmeals from humans, such as Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti.
Disease Testing
We test Culex quinquefasciatus and other Culex species mosquitoes for mosquito-borne diseases, such as the West Nile Virus. A select number of samples are sent to the Texas Department of Health Services for PCR testing while the rest are tested in-house using the RAMP system.
Treatment
Areas where disease activity has been detected in the local mosquito population are treated using truck-based ultra-low volume (ULV) sprayers. These treatments take place when the species that carry disease are most active – between dusk and dawn.
To reduce the abundance of both disease-carrying and so-called “nuisance mosquitoes”, we target them in their larval stage. We identify and eliminate mosquito breeding sites within the county right-of-way. If a breeding site cannot be eliminated we treat the area with larvicides, which are chemicals that are designed to kill mosquito larvae with minimal environmental impact.
