Source reduction sweep hailed as success

ESTHERWOOD – According to Glenn Stokes, General Manager and Medical Entomologist, for MCCI (Mosquito Control Contractors, Inc.), the Source Reduction Sweep this past weekend (April 25, 26, 27) in Morse, Midland, Mermentau and

Estherwood was a great success. Mosquito breeding sources, (tin cans, bottles, pans, old tires, styrofoam and plastic cups) were collected from drainage ditches and coulees throughout the four targeted communities.

Approximately 25 cubic yards (or 675 cubic feet) of mosquito breeding sources were removed from the landscape. “Not only has this eliminated a tremendous amount of breeding area for disease-carrying mosquitoes, it has also beautified the areas and improved drainage”, Stokes said.

This weekend, (May 2,3,4) the Source Reduction Sweep will be conducted in Mire (at the corner of Hwys. 95 & 98), Egan (Egan Elementary School), Church Point (next to City Hall) and Iota (next to City Hall). IESI, the Parish Garbage Contractor, is furnishing the dumpsters and MCCI is furnishing the people to pick up the mosquito breeding sources. Of course the public is invited to pick up small mosquito breeding sources (cans, bottles, etc.) from their backyards and bring to the dumpsters. Please bag large numbers of cans, bottles, cups for disposal in dumpsters. Also individual, unmounted car tires are welcomed – just stack at side of dumpster, don’t place inside.

“If last weekend is any indication of success, this coming weekend will result in a huge response and remove 50-60 cubic yards of mosquito breeding sites “from the streets” in these 4 heavily populated areas (Egan, Mire, Church Point and Iota), north of I-10. “This will literally mean millions of “bad” mosquitoes that transmit disease, will be prevented. Every mosquito breeding site eliminated makes for fewer mosquito bites and less risk of disease,” Stokes says.

For information or assistance, please call 337-785-4456 or visit website: www.mcci.info.