Services of South Walton Mosquito Control

SWCMCD operates an integrated pest management (IPM) program.  Integrating many activities with the ultimate goal of controlling mosquitoes.  These activities include:

Source reduction - The elimination of mosquito producing habitat by draining or filling of water holding situations.  In South Walton, 46 major drainage ditches were dug by Mosquito Control to drain the land.  These ditches are continually maintained by SWCMCD to ensure that they function properly.

Larviciding – The killing of the larval, aquatic stage of the mosquito.  Areas that cannot be filled or drained or systems that are created by man to manage stormwater (catch basins, drainage retention areas, and roadside swales) are treated to control mosquito larva.

Adulticiding – The killing of the adult flying stage of the mosquito is done when surveillance methods (traps, landing rate counts, inspections) verify that mosquito populations have reached a level to justify the spraying of aerosolized pesticides to control adult mosquito populations.

Education – The education of the general public is essential to helping mosquito control agencies do their job effectively.  At SWCMCD we provide educational pamphlets to the Tourist Development Council and the Walton County Chamber of Commerce.  We provide educational material to the Walton County Department of Health, which is distributed to elementary school age children in the SPICE program during the summer.  We also provide educational presentations upon request to any civic organization.  In addition, we provide periodic informational announcements in local newspapers and educational handouts at our headquarters office.

Research – SWCMCD has sponsored numerous research projects with the Florida A&M University Entomology Research and Education Center located in Panama City, Florida.  These projects are not only for mosquitoes but other biting flies, pesticides, and the testing of methodologies on how to control them.

Other Services:

Yellow Flies – SWCMCD utilizes sticky black balls for the reduction of yellow flies and will provide one per homeowner upon request.

Dumpsters – Dumpsters are provided for the disposal of metal items, electronics, and tires, free of charge for citizens within our District.

Amnesty Day – SWCMCD provides a site for the collection of toxic materials when Walton County conducts Amnesty Day, in the fall and again in the spring. This service is free of charge to citizens of Walton County.