Mosquito control

The Garfield County Cooperative Mosquito Control Program works countywide to provide cost-effective, integrated mosquito management operations. Along with Garfield County, all of the cities and towns in Garfield County participate in the program. Currently, Colorado Mosquito Control, Inc (CMC) acts as the contractor for the program using integrated mosquito management operations that utilize environmentally-sensitive controls and new technologies without negatively impacting the environment.

Garfield County recognizes the need to control mosquito annoyance and the risk of mosquito-borne disease associated with flood irrigation practices, urban development, and snowmelt runoff. The primary objective of the Garfield County Cooperative Mosquito Management Program is to suppress populations of larval mosquitoes in aquatic habitats. Adult mosquito trapping performed by CMC provides data used to assess West Nile Virus infection rates, as well as the need for adult mosquito control measures.

Periodically, adult mosquito populations become such that CMC must do an Ultra Low Volume (ULV) insecticide spray application in order to reduce adult mosquito populations to tolerable levels. Anyone that would like to be notified when these mosquito spraying applications are to take place in their area or to ensure insecticides are not sprayed near their property click here. For information about the Colorado Pesticide Sensitive Registry, click here, or call CMC toll-free, (877)276-4306.

The Garfield County Cooperative Mosquito Control Program also recognizes that many people are involved with organic farming and organic home gardening.  CMC has products that are certified for use on or near organic crops by the Organic Materials Review Institute (O.M.R.I.). Technicians are trained to apply these organic products to areas of larval mosquito production around organic operations.  For more information regarding O.M.R.I. certified products CMC has available, call (877)276-4306 or e-mail to info@comosquitocontrol.com.

The best defense against mosquitoes is to prevent their occurrence and keep from being bitten. Here are some things you can do:

• Avoid outdoor activities at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active. 
• If you are outside at dusk or dawn, cover up by wearing long-sleeved shirts, pants, shoes and socks.
• Use mosquito repellents. Products with up to 30 percent DEET are recommended for adults and children over two months of age. 
• Eliminate standing water in tires or other containers as these may serve as mosquito breeding sites.  Change the water in birdbaths and pet dishes frequently.
• If you have standing water around your home that you cannot drain consider using larvacide in the water.

Fight the Bite Colorado
For more information about Fight the Bite Colorado, a West Nile virus prevention and education campaign brought to you by Colorado's state and local health departments, please click here: