West Nile Virus Information

You may not have heard to much this year about West Nile Virus but you sill need to be concerned. The problem has been in decline because of the effort of state and local agencies in controlling mosquito populations and educating the public but precautions still need to be taken to keep the possibility of exposure to the virus at a bare minimum.

A few simple things you can do to help minimize mosquitoes on your property are:

Eliminate standing water weekly. This will reduce the number of mosquitoes around the house and will keep many mosquitoes from breeding in the first place, eliminating the need to use pesticides against adult mosquitoes.
Check for items that might hold water including wheelbarrows, tires, hubcaps, toys, garden equipment, pool covers, plastic sheeting, pipes, drains, boats, canoes, recyling bins and trash.
Remove standing water in ponds, ditches, clogged rain gutters, flower pots, plant saucers, puddles, buckets, jars and cans.

Protect yourself from mosquito bites by:

Apply insect repellent continaing DEET sparingly to exposed skin. Whever you use an insecticide or insect repellent, be sure to read and follow the manufacturer's directions for use, as printed on the product.
Consider staying indoors at dawn, dsuk, and in the early evening, which are peak mosquito biting times.
Install or repair window or door screnes so that mosquitoes cannot get indoors.

For information about the West Nile Virus, click on the link below to Tri-County Health or the Colorado Departmnet of Public Health and Environment. Operators will be available daily from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. to provide information on West Nile Virus symptoms and infection in humans and animals at the Colorado Health Education Line for the Public at 1-877-462-2911.

For more information please click on the links below.

Tri-County Health Department
Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
Fight the Bite (303-692-2700)

Fight the Bite - Defend yourself against mosquitoes

DRAIN standing water around the house weekly.

DUSK & DAWN are when mosquitoes that carry the virus are most active.

DEET is an effective ingredient to look for in insect repellents.

DRESS in long sleeves and pants during dawn and dusk or in areas where mosquitoes are active.

West Nile virus is rare, but if you have symptoms including high fever, severe headache and stiff neck, contact your health care provider immediately.

Mosquito Dunks

Mosquito Dunks are round, donut-shaped objects that float on water and slowly release a long-term (30 day) mosquito lavacide that is non-toxic to animals. Dunks can be found in many hardware and garden stores including the following (call to check availability before visiting a location):

Ace Hardware, Aurora (Hoffman Heights), (303) 366-3524
Ace Hardware, Aurora (Strait Lumber), (303) 366-3561
Ace Hardware, Bennett (Greatwood), (303) 644-5000
Ace Hardware, Brighton (American Pride), (303) 659-1230
Ace Hardware, Castle Rock (Brooksharts), (303) 688-0397
Ace Hardware, Commerce City, (303) 288-6641
Ace Hardware, Denver (Perl-Mack), (303) 429-2944
Ace Hardware, Englewood (A&A Tradin Post), (303) 761-0747
Ace Hardware, Highlands Ranch, (303) 683-6300
Ace Hardware, Littleton, (303) 795-9469
Ace Hardware, Littleton (Big Tool Box), (303) 779-8822
Ace Hardware, Thornton (Mission Trace), (303) 252-1776
Home Depot, Aurora, (303) 743-7557
Home Depot, Castle Rock, (303) 688-8790
Home Depot, Glendale, (720) 542-2480
Home Depot, Highlands Ranch, (303) 471-2345
Home Depot, Parker, (303) 805-9991
Home Depot, Pioneer Hills, (303) 699-5006
Home Depot, Park Meadows, (303) 706-1500
Home Depot, Saddlerock, (720) 870-8839
Home Depot, Thornton, (303) 255-8000
Home Depot, Westminster, (303) 420-2498
Nick's Garden Center, Aurora, (303) 696-6657
Lowe's, Aurora, (303) 369-4222
Lowe's, Greenwood Village, (303) 220-8737
Lowe's, Northglenn, (303) 280-1166
Tagawa Nursery, Aurora, (303) 690-4722
True Value, Aurora (Buckley Square), (303) 745-7177
True Value, Commerce City (Younger Bros), (303) 288-2611
True Value, Littleton (Big Tool Box), (303) 779-8822
True Value, Parker, (303) 841-3230
Yardiac Garden Store, 1-866-927-3422 (phone orders only)