Westchester Health Officials Offer Free Minnows To Pelham Residents With Ponds To Eliminate Mosquitoes

To keep mosquitoes from breeding in their ponds or backyard water features, Westchester County residents can pick up free minnows from the Westchester County Health Department at the county airport.

The minnows will be available today through 4 p.m., Saturday, April 22, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Friday, May 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, May 6, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Residents should bring a bucket and plan to take the minnows straight home to their ponds.

The health department also will offer mosquito dunks for birdbaths and educational materials, along with advice on how residents can prevent mosquito bites and eliminate standing water around their homes to keep mosquitoes from breeding -- and biting -- nearby.

To eliminate breeding sites, the health department will begin to apply larvicide to catch basins that hold standing water but are clear of debris starting May 8th. Larvaciding teams will evaluate all catch basins on county and municipal roads over the next few months and treat as needed.

To prevent mosquitoes from breeding and biting, residents should eliminate standing water from their yards and gutters, especially after it rains, and remove objects, such as pails, wheelbarrows and buckets, that can hold standing water.

To report large areas of standing water on public property that cannot easily be removed, call the health department at 914-813-5000. For more information, go to http://www.westchestergov.com/health.