POLK COUNTY, Iowa — Summer is on the horizon, which means mosquitos are on our doorstep.
That's why starting next week on May 22, a helicopter will begin applying larvicide product in Polk County, including Des Moines and parts of West Des Moines.
The goal is to prevent mosquito larvae from hatching into adult mosquitos.
"The larvicide is the most proactive way to control the mosquito population," said Dave Williamson, housing services and code enforcement manager for Polk County. "Once they hatch and turn into adults and spread out, it's harder to control them."
The helicopter will apply the larvicide to large areas known to have standing water.
In addition, heading into the summer months, Polk County will also utilize traps in various areas to collect and count mosquitos.
Those samples will be sent to Iowa State University for testing, at which time university personnel will determine if the insects are carrying viruses such as West Nile.
Depending on the count of mosquitos and/or if a virus is actually detected, sprayers will be sent to those affected areas for additional mosquito management.
Williamson says there's a good chance central Iowa will see a higher mosquito population in 2023, due to the abundance of rain.