City of Naperville’s Mosquito Control Program Underway

The City employs several strategies to control the mosquito population, and there are several precautions residents can take to avoid mosquito bites and reduce mosquitoes around their homes.

To help control the mosquito population in Naperville, City crews inspect for and remove standing water wherever possible and treat ponds, marsh areas, and catch basins throughout the City to target the mosquitoes in the larval stage. The City continuously monitors and tests its 10 mosquito traps each week to evaluate the effectiveness of larval control, provide early warnings for when the adult populations are rising and also test for West Nile Virus. When necessary, the City will utilize spraying to control the adult mosquito population. In these cases, the City uses the safest chemicals available in very low volumes and sprays only as needed. Mosquito populations are currently low, and trap testing will continue weekly through the remainder of the summer.

West Nile Virus is a mosquito-borne virus transmitted by mosquitoes that have picked it up by feeding on infected birds. Most people infected with the West Nile Virus have no symptoms or experience very mild symptoms three to 14 days after the bite of an infected mosquito. Mild symptoms include a fever, headache, body aches, and occasionally a skin rash on the torso of the body and swollen lymph glands. Fewer than 1% of people infected with West Nile Virus will develop severe symptoms. Persons older than 50 years of age have the highest risk of severe disease.

The best way to prevent West Nile disease or any other mosquito-borne illness is to reduce mosquito numbers around your home and take personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Precautions to avoid mosquito bites include:

• Reduce mosquito breeding sites: Eliminate stagnant water in birdbaths, ponds, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires and any other receptacles in which mosquitoes might breed.
• Wear protective clothing: Whenever outdoors between dusk and dawn, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Loose-fitting, light-colored clothing is best.
• Apply repellent: Use mosquito repellent containing 25 to 35% DEET when it is necessary to be outdoors, applied sparingly to skin or clothing, as indicated on the repellent label. Consult a physician before using repellents on young children.
• Reduce mosquito hiding places: Check for and repair any tears in residential screens and keep your yard well-maintained by cutting grass short and trimming shrubbery to remove mosquito hiding spots.

For more information, visit www.naperville.il.us/mosquitocontrol.For more information on the City of Naperville, visit www.naperville.il.us. To sign up for the City’s notification system, Naper Notify, and receive important information via a phone call, text message, email, or smartphone app, visit www.napernotify.com. 

About Naperville: Located 28 miles west of Chicago, Naperville, Ill., is home to approximately 150,000 people. This vibrant, thriving city consistently ranks as a top community in the nation in which to live, raise children and retire. The city is home to acclaimed public and parochial schools, the best public library system in the country, an array of healthcare options and an exceptionally low crime rate. Naperville has ready access to a variety of public transportation, housing and employment options. The city’s diversified employer base features high technology firms, retailers and factories, as well as small and home-based businesses. Residents also enjoy world-class parks, diverse worship options, the opportunity to serve on several City boards and commissions, a thriving downtown shopping and dining area, a renowned outdoor history museum known as Naper Settlement and an active civic community. For more information, please visit our website at www.naperville.il.us.