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Inexpensive,
hardy triggerfish will help
solve mosquito problem around Gwinnett
By Scott Vande Griend
DVM, Snellville
Special to GwinnettForum.com
JULY 5, 2002 -- On the computer, I happened to see online minutes
of Fayette County's discussion of West Nile Virus issues and mosquito
abatement. In those minutes were references to $90,000 appropriated
to Gwinnett County to control West Nile Virus. There was no conclusion
as to the usage of this funding. I would like to make a proposal
for effective usage of this funding, or appropriate new funding
to prevent risk to our children and families.
Since mosquitoes are the direct vector to humans, mosquito control
is a logical point of attack. Education is an honorable approach,
but I think most people intrinsically know what to do to avoid being
bitten.
I believe the communication should be more directed at how to kill
mosquitoes where they live. Places like old tires, standing water,
etc are the primary hatching sites for mosquito larvae, so education
on elimination of breeding habitat is a good start.
However, living in Georgia, it will be very difficult to eliminate
all breeding grounds completely. Gwinnett County is dotted with
creeks, ponds, small lakes, and landscaped decorative water gardens.
How do we control mosquitoes here?
While living in Kansas, I observed citizens with the ability to
control these mosquito breeding grounds naturally and free with
mosquito fish. Mosquito fish are a specialized member of the guppy
family and are voracious eaters of mosquito larvae, but are innocuous
to other natural inhabitants. As a citizen of Kansas, I could phone
up the County Mosquito Abatement, and they would deliver a bucket
with 30 -40 (or more depending on the size of the body of water)
mosquito fish at no cost to protect the citizens against mosquitoes
and their diseases. These fish would keep any body of water, large
or small, free from mosquito larvae!
I called the Gwinnett County Dept of Environmental Health, and
much to my surprise, they were not aware of such a safe and effective
tool. They suggested I go to the local pet store and purchase these
fish. The only problem is they are not a pet, and I am not aware
of pet stores carrying this type of fish. I am more than willing
to go into my own pocket to spend a few dollars to protect bodies
of water on my property, but is it my duty as a citizen to treat
bodies of water not on my property, or is that a governmental responsibility?
I think that burden falls squarely on the County Environmental Health
division.
I would urge Gwinnett County to consider using part of the $90,000
to identify and secure a contract with a supplier for these inexpensive
and hardy fish. Then citizens and government representatives alike
could identify bodies of water at-risk (I can think of 7 or 8 areas
in my neighborhood alone!) and introduce these tiny mosquito-control
experts. By making them free to citizens, this would allow people
to be proactive in working with land-owners to prevent mosquitoes.
This would go a long way in the fight against mosquito vector-borne
disease, and our government bears an obligation to protect her citizens.
P.S. In Kansas, I tried the "mosquito rings" for my pond
that you can buy at home-improvement stores - I gave them two weeks
- they didn't work. Within 24 hours of putting mosquito fish in
my pond, all the mosquito wigglers were gone!
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Number
2.25, July 5, 2002
