HARTSVILLE, S.C. (WBTW) – It may look like just a box, but it’s on the front line of Hartsville’s battle against diseases like West Nile Virus and Zika.
Arborist Stephen Wild along with others at the Environmental Services for the city are going all out to ensure mosquitoes that carry these diseases aren’t coming to Hartsville. In addition to traps to catch the insects for further study by DHEC, workers are taking to the streets on foot and on bikes to be on the lookout for places where the pests could be breeding.
Even fish, known as mosquito fish, who feed on the bugs day in and day out, are taking Hartsville’s land assault to the waters around Hartsville.
Wild says it’s up to everyone in and a round the city to do his or her part and be sure Zika doesn’t make its way to the Pee Dee.
“It takes effort on everybody’s part to try and get this stuff taken care of,” explained Wild. “That’s going to be a big thing that will help us and help everyone with the mosquito populations.”
In the meantime the city wants to stress that anyone cam protect his or her home simply by avoiding any standing water in your yard as well as by turning over anything that could easily collect water. Wild says an amount as small as a bottle cap could breed hundreds of mosquitos right in your backyard.
