Mosquito Control

On May 18th, the Miami Dade County Board of Commissioners amended section 26A-2.1 of the county code in order to authorize and empower the Department of Solid Waste Management to investigate and abate conditions capable of breeding mosquitoes throughout the county and can issue a notice of violation against any individual, corporation, organization, legal entities, etc. found to be out of compliance. Devon-Aire Villas HOA #1, being not-for-profit corporation organized under the law of the State of Florida, falls under that definition and must comply with the amended county ordinance. The Board of Directors, in order to promote the health, safety and welfare of our membership and others living within our community, began to catalog all the catch basins on the property and the drains leading to them a few weeks ago. The Board of Directors, with the help of our Property Manager, Scott Galya, have also been researching what needs to be done to ensure that our community remains as mosquito free as possible. Beginning this month a larvicide which is not harmful to fish, humans or other animals will be placed every 30 days into the 51 drains that lead to the catch basins on the property until December and would resume in May of next year. This will prevent any larval mosquitoes from becoming adults thus reducing their numbers. No type of spraying will be occurring on the property.

This year there have been many stories concerning the Zika virus outbreak which is of particular concern to pregnant women & their unborn child as well as those with compromised immune systems such as the elderly. There is still a lot that is also unknown regarding the log term affects it may have on ordinary folks. The mosquito transmitting this disease is the same one known to infect folks with west nile, encephalitis, dengue and chikungunya as well as heartworm in dogs and cats. It is important that everyone do their part to ensure that there is no standing water on your property that can serve as a breading ground for mosquitoes. Drain water from your units rain gutters if you have them, kiddie pools, coolers, toys, flower pots, jugs or any other containers where water has collected. It is especially important to make sure to discard any bottles, cans, pots or any other items that aren't being used that could potentially collect water. If you have a bird bath or fountain, flush out the water every couple of days. If you have bromeliads or other plants that can collect enough water in which mosquitoes can lay eggs, you should also flush them once a week with a stream of water or sprinkle commercially available Bti "bits" in your plants. You can also place 1 drop of cooking oil every 20 days in a bromeliad's cup which will smother mosquito larvae. Homeowners should perform these checks of their homes at least once a week. Homeowners renting out their units need to ensure that their tenants are performing those checks for them.

If you feel that you are experiencing a mosquito nuisance, you are encouraged to report the problem by calling 311 or online by Clicking Here, then select Property and choose Mosquitoes from the drop-down menu.