CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The recent rains have caused the Coastal Bend's mosquito population to come back in full force, and Corpus Christi's Vector Control Unit has updated its mosquito spraying schedule to fight back.
Monday, the unit will focus its efforts on the island. Tuesday, they plan to start on the city's south side and Oso Golf Course.
The man in charge of the city's mosquito spraying says the city has a strategy.
"We can move through the city hitting all the known breeding grounds," Animal Care Services Program Manager Joel Skidmore said. "That way we can control the breeding while it’s happening or before it’s happening. That way, controlling those areas will bring relief to the interior of the city.”
The city also urges you to wear long clothing, avoid being outside at dawn and dusk, wear mosquito repellent, and empty any standing water around your home to protect yourself from mosquitoes and the diseases they can carry.
Through trapping locally and testing at the Department of State Health Services in Austin, the city says there have been no mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile Virus or other infections so far this year.
Skidmore credits the city's mosquito spraying program for much of that success.
“Previously before the wet weather we were doing an excellent job of keeping the mosquito population under control," he said. "It was bad for awhile, and through effective, strategic spraying we got it back under control."
While mosquito repellent with DEET is the go-to recommendation to stave off those pesky bugs, some people would rather use natural mosquito repellents over chemicals.
As long as they're exposed to an ample amount of wind to rustle their leaves, workers at Gill Landscape Nursery suggest planting citronella, lavender, rosemary, or lemon grass around your home. There are also all-natural products for sale at the nursery that are derived from those plants that can provide mosquito relief as well.
"You just spread it around your patio-area, and it kind of does the thing because it’s a very pungent smell,” Joshua Williams said.
The full tentative spraying schedule provided by the city can be found below.
Tentative Spraying Route Schedule**:
Monday, July 12 Routes: 30, 31, 32 Padre Island
Tuesday, July 13 Routes: 21, 24 Southside / Oso Golf Course
Wednesday, July 14 Routes: 26, 23 Southside
Thursday, July 15 Routes: 1, 2, 3, 4 Calallen
Friday, July 16 Routes: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Annaville, Nueces River
Monday, July 19 Routes: 11, 14, 15 North Beach, West Side
Tuesday, July 20 Routes: 17, 19 Seaside Cemetery, IWA
Wednesday, July 21 Routes: 27, 28, 29 Flour Bluff
Thursday, July 22 Routes: 30, 31, 32 Padre Island
Friday, July 23 Routes: 21, 24 Southside / Oso Golf Course
