Volusia County Highlights Mosquito Control Efforts During Florida Mosquito Control Awareness Week

Posted On: April 20, 2026

As Florida Mosquito Control Awareness Week gets underway, Volusia County is highlighting the year-round efforts of its Mosquito Control Division and the simple steps residents can take to help reduce mosquito populations.

The division takes a comprehensive, year-round approach to monitoring and controlling mosquitoes across the county, combining ground and aerial treatments with targeted efforts to reduce breeding and monitor activity levels that may pose a public health concern.

Those efforts extend beyond treatment operations and into the community, where tire amnesty events continue to remove one of the most common mosquito breeding environments. More than 1,000 tires were collected Saturday in New Smyrna Beach, building on a January effort in DeLand that removed over 1,600 additional tires from across the county.

The division also provides mosquito fish at no charge to residents, offering a natural way to control larvae in ornamental ponds and other areas where water cannot be easily drained. By feeding on mosquito larvae, they provide a simple and effective way to reduce mosquito populations in standing water. At the same time, a sentinel chicken program helps monitor for mosquito-borne illnesses through routine testing, providing early warning of viruses such as West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis. The chickens do not become ill from these viruses, allowing the County to safely track potential disease activity in the area.

While these efforts continue countywide, residents play an important role in prevention. Even small amounts of standing water can produce mosquitoes in a matter of days, making regular property checks one of the most effective ways to reduce activity around homes and neighborhoods. Buckets, plant saucers, clogged gutters, tarps, and other outdoor items should be emptied or cleared after rainfall to prevent water from accumulating. Staying proactive between rain events can make a noticeable difference in limiting mosquito activity.

Residents can learn more about mosquito control activities at volusia.org/mosquito, where they can request service, view an interactive map of planned ground and aerial spraying operations, and sign up for email or text notifications when treatments are scheduled in their area.