How a tiny fish is taking on mosquitoes in East Bay and making a big difference
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- It's that time of year - beautiful weather and eating outside - but mosquitoes are out in force now.
There is a tiny fish that can vanquish the pests from standing water in your yard.
They are tiny mosquitofish, they're being plunked into backyard ponds to do their job - eat mosquito larvae.
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Homeowners can call the Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District for a special delivery. Just a dozen or so of the minnow-like fish will do the job and annihilate mosquitoes naturally. The fish are useful in ponds, unused pools, hot tubs and even in large fountains.
"The most important part is that we are able to come onto your property and do the inspections to make sure the site is suitable for mosquitofish," said operations manager David Wexler.
Wexler is the fish master of sorts, overseeing the district's hatchery in Concord.
Tanks full of baby mosquitofish are nurtured and once they've matured, they're scooped up and moved to swim in the big fish tanks before being dispatched on their mission in the community.
Mosquitos that carry West Nile Virus have long been worrisome. But in the last few years, Aedes Aegypti, which carries Zika and Dengue fever, has proliferated across many parts of California.
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"Currently, it's established in 24 California counties. It's not established here in Contra Costa County, but we did find them in Antioch late last year," said spokesperson Nola Woods.
We ask Woods, besides adopting some mosquitofish, what should you do around your home or apartment?
"Dumping out any amount of standing water at least once a week. It can be - you can literally get mosquitoes from the lid of a water bottle," said Woods.
So as the overnight temperatures get warmer, mosquitoes really kick into gear. Now's the time to check standing water.
