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Broward To Spray Parts Of The County For Mosquitoes

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - Due to all of our recent rain, parts of Broward County will be sprayed tonight to control mosquitoes.

Trucks will begin spraying at 10 p.m., weather permitting, and will end around 6 a.m. on Wednesday. Areas to be sprayed include parts of Dania Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Miramar, and Pembroke Pines.

The larvacide being used is VectoBac WDG, which is not harmful to humans, pets, bees, aquatic habitats or environmentally sensitive areas, according to the County.

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(Shutterstock)

The mosquito being targeted is the Aedes aegypti, a mosquito known to carry diseases such as Zika, dengue and yellow fever, to name a few.

This type of mosquito loves to be around, and bite people more than most other mosquito species and it's hard to eliminate.

In fact, it's been called the "cockroach of mosquitoes" for those reasons.

One of the reasons the Aedes aegypti mosquito can be found around people and yet is difficult to get rid of is that it's a cryptic breeder.  Meaning, it can breed in the least obvious, most unusual places around homes and businesses.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito likes to breed in small containers that fill with water, preferably out of the sun.  And it likes dark colors.  This makes old tires one of its favorite breeding spots.

It can also breed in flowerpots—including water-retaining saucers underneath flowerpots—bottles, cans, clogged gutters, rain barrels, birdbaths, even bottle caps. So be sure to remove standing water from these locations to help reduce the mosquito population.

Making Aedes aegypti even trickier is the fact that it can lay eggs in places where there's no water at the moment, but will eventually fill with water.  Eggs laid outside of water can remain viable for as long as 12 months.  And the Aedes aegypti has an uncanny knack for finding containers that are dry today but filled with water tomorrow (or a few months from now).

MORE ABOUT THE LARVICIDE:

The main ingredient in VectoBac WDG is Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti, strain AM6552), a naturally occurring, biodegradable bacterial mosquito larvicide.  It is certified by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) and is registered for use by the US Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, VectoBac WDG has been reviewed by the World Health Organization and is listed as a recommended product to be used to control mosquito larvae.

Here are the spraying locations:

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