During the pandemic, you may be spending a little more time outdoors and in Florida that means dealing with mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes are especially prevalent this time of year. Hillsborough County officials want to remind people to check their yards for any standing water and to wear repellents.
Hillsborough County Mosquito Control uses many tactics to help stop mosquitoes and curb the spread of any diseases they may carry.
They provide mosquito fish that you can put in ponds or birdbaths to eat the larvae, and they give those away for free. You can find a free event by clicking here.
Crews also use helicopters and sentinel chickens.
Leonard Burns, Senior Supervisor with Mosquito Control says, "it can tell us whether or not we have viruses in the area. Within Hillsborough County, we have 10 flocks and every Monday we go out there and draw the blood from our chickens and drop it off at our local lab, and then by Friday they'll let us know if they have viruses."
Crews then respond to the areas with spray trucks.
Results are shared throughout the state. Last year, officials said they could tell where West Nile started up in the Panhandle and they were able to take appropriate action.
