Annual "Bite Back Against Mosquito Attacks" Poster & Essay Contest Winners Announced

Congratulations to fifth-grade student Seren Horton and fourth-grade student Alex Yeghikian! Seren is this year's "Bite Back Against Mosquito Attacks!" Student Poster Contest winner. She attends Plainview Academic Charter in Tujunga, CA. Alex was the grand prize winner of the first ever student essay contest. He attends Pinewood Elementary which is also in Tujunga, CA. They both won $100 MasterCard gift cards and pizza parties for their classes sponsored by Little Caesars Pizza. In addition, Seren's artwork will be featured on approximately 50 Los Angeles County Metro buses this summer.

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SERIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT: NPDES

We all know that mosquitoes can pose a serious public health threat in our community. Right now, however, there’s a new threat that could limit our ability to provide critical mosquito and vector control services to you. Since November 2011, more than 65 mosquito and vector control agencies in California have not been able to apply public health pesticides to control and abate disease-carrying insects near or over U.S. waters without a pricey National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.

The new regulation impedes vector control agencies’ ability to protect public health because money and manpower must be diverted from directly protecting public health to burdensome monitoring and reporting activities. All applications of public health pesticides made by mosquito and vector control agencies are already applied according to their EPA-approved label under strict regulations by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The NPDES permit is redundant for vector control districts and does not provide any additional environmental or human protection.

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YOU CAN HELP! H.R. 872 is a bill that would clarify the intent of Congress regarding the regulation of pesticides and eliminate the requirement for an NPDES permit for the application of public health pesticides. H.R. 872 would prevent a duplicative, and costly, regulatory burden on mosquito and vector control districts and taxpayers. This important bill has been held up in Congress and we need your help! Voice your support and tell your U.S. Senators why mosquito control matters. Help turn this resolution into law by contacting Senator Barbara Boxer:

Office of U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer
312 N. Spring Street, Suite 1748
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 894-5000
(202) 224-0357 fax

Email the Senator

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Dangerous Asian Tiger Mosquito Identified within District Boundaries

The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) has been identified within District boundaries in the City of South El Monte. This agressive, day-biting mosquito is approximately 1/4 inch with distinctive black and white banding. This moquito species is a competent transmitter of many debilitating diseases such as yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya and several other encephalitis viruses. If you have seen this mosquito or have been bit by a mosquito during the day, please REPORT the situation and help us to eliminate this threat.

The Asian tiger mosquito survives well near humans and lays eggs in water-filled containers. Follow these tips to help prevent this mosquito from taking up residence around your home:

• Dump out standing water from containers and clean them out using a towel and bleach to remove any remaining eggs

• Dispose of or remove unused containers and potential breeding sources such as old tires, cans and buckets
  

• Check for and eliminate standing water in natural sources such as tree holes, lucky bamboo, bromeliads and other flowering plants
  

• Eliminate all standing water around your property; this mosquito will lay eggs next to even the smallest amount of standing water

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