Looking through the rain across the back lot, a pile of waste tires catches my eye. As I get closer to the pile, a buzzy little mosquito lands softly on my arm. I brush her away only to be attacked moments later by a hungry mob of blood suckers.
State Health Departments and the Environmental Protection Agency are also looking for places like this tire pile. News sources across the Midwest and Southeast report that the departments are on a mission against disease-carrying mosquitoes. As part of this effort, they are targeting mosquito breeding grounds, including dealerships and similar businesses with tire storage areas. Given the population explosion of mosquitoes this year, here are some guidelines to effectively address mosquito pools inside the tires.
Sheltered Storage: Drain tires of water and store them under a roof or well maintained waterproof enclosure to prevent water accumulation.
Exposed Storage of Waste Tires: Cut, slice, poke holes, or otherwise do what it takes to guarantee efficient drainage routes in each tire to prevent water accumulation inside the tires.
Pesticide Alternatives: If you can’t store the tires in a way to prevent water accumulation, then treat the tires with an appropriate pesticide according to manufacturer’s directions. Repeat as necessary.
Reminder: tires must be stored individually or stacked so each tire is accessible for spraying.
Maintain a written record of tire treatments that includes:
- Name of the business
- Date of spraying
- Type of spray used
- Person doing the spraying
