Mosquito Control Division

Fight the Bite!

• Don’t feed the storm drains. Sweep up lawn clippings, leaves and tree limbs from sidewalks and driveways.
• Maintain your septic system to prevent leaks. Report sewer and water main leaks and/or breaks to 311 (if within city limits) or the local water utility (if outside the city limits). The Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services Environmental Health Division may also be contacted at 713.439.6260 if the water utility contact information is unknown.
• Remove/empty any containers which may hold water. Flowerpots, tires, children’s toys and plastic swimming pools, etc. should be drained, inverted, covered or removed. Birdbaths and pet water bowls should be emptied and refilled at least twice a week.
• Help eliminate mosquito breeding sites from your property by keeping rain gutters properly clean and draining, repair household leaks, fill holes in trees with sand or other filler.
• Seal cracks or gaps and fix or replace screens in doors and windows where mosquitoes can enter.
• When watering the lawn, be aware of any excess water that may collect in pools around the house. Fill in low areas around the yard.
• When outdoors, use an insect repellent containing the chemical compound DEET (diethyl-toluamide) and apply as directed on the label. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using a repellent with a lower concentration of DEET, 10% or less, on children aged 2-12. Do not allow young children to apply repellent to themselves; have an adult do it for them.
• If possible, wear long-sleeved clothing and long pants when outdoors at dawn, dusk, and early evening, which are peak mosquito biting times.
• When mosquitoes are noticed in your yard, spray with an outdoor mosquito spray. Be sure to use according to directions on the label. To control mosquitoes in your house, use a “flying insect spray”. Be sure to use according to directions on the label.
• Because West Nile virus is transmitted by infectious mosquitoes, dogs and cats could be exposed to the virus in the same way humans become infected. The virus does not appear to cause extensive illness in dogs or cats. Contact your veterinarian for more information.

For more information contact:
Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services
Mosquito Control Division
3330 Old Spanish Trail, Bldg. D, Houston, Texas 77021
Phone: (713) 440-4800 Fax: ( 713) 440-4795