Mosquito Control
Broward County Mosquito Control responds to residents’ reports of mosquito activity, inspects potential breeding sites, and uses surveillance information to decide where treatment is needed. This article explains how to request service, what information to provide, what may happen after a request, and which mosquito problems the County can address.
What the County Service Covers
The Broward County Mosquito Control Section works to reduce mosquito nuisances and address public health concerns. Its staff may inspect properties, identify standing water where mosquitoes breed, treat storm drains, set mosquito traps, and conduct truck spraying when surveillance results support it. The section also provides education about preventing mosquitoes around homes. South Florida has mosquitoes throughout the year, so the County relies in part on residents’ requests to identify where activity is occurring.
A mosquito service request is free. It asks the County to evaluate a reported problem; it does not reserve a particular treatment or guarantee a truck will spray the neighborhood. The Broward County Mosquito Control page is the starting point for service requests and information about the County’s operations.
Problems Outside the Service
The Mosquito Control Section provides service for mosquitoes only. It does not treat sand flies, drain flies, no-see-ums, white flies, or other pests. Identifying the insect as accurately as you can before submitting a request helps keep a non-mosquito problem from being sent through the mosquito service process. If you are unsure what is causing the bites or nuisance, describe what you have observed without requesting a specific treatment.
How to Request Mosquito Service
Residents can submit a request through the County’s online request for service page or contact 311. The online request page requires JavaScript to work. It offers the option to sign in or create an account to receive updates, but the County’s mosquito instructions also allow residents to request service by calling 311.
Provide accurate and complete information when making the request. The County’s inspectors need contact information so they can call to verify the location and arrange access if an inspection at the property is needed. State the address where you are experiencing mosquito activity and describe the problem you are observing. If you have noticed standing water on your property, identifying where it is can help explain the concern. A report of mosquito activity gives staff a basis for evaluation; residents cannot choose the method of treatment through the request.
Who May Submit a Request?
You may request mosquito service for your own property. According to the County’s Mosquito Control questions and answers, a request must come from the property owner or someone who lives at the residence. If the concern is at another person’s home, ask that owner or resident to contact the County or complete the online request. Do not enter a neighbor’s address as though it were your own property.
A neighboring property can still be relevant to a problem you experience at home. For example, if an untreated pool next door appears to be attracting mosquitoes, you can submit a request for your property so Mosquito Control can evaluate activity in your area. The County directs concerns about maintaining the neighboring pool to the municipality’s Code Enforcement office. A mosquito request does not replace that separate property-maintenance process.
Timing and Request Updates
The County addresses requests in the order received and completes them as promptly as request volume and weather permit. Warmer summer months and the rainy season bring a high volume of reports, which can affect response time. The County does not give residents a weekly spray schedule or another recurring service schedule.
If an inspection is needed, inspectors work on a first-come, first-served basis. An inspector will call before arriving to verify the address and request access to the property. Inspections take place during the day. Keep the contact information on your request accurate so staff can reach you about a visit. The County says it sends a notice of completion to the requester by email or text message.
What Happens After a Request
A Mosquito Control inspector may contact you to inspect your property. During a visit, staff look for places where mosquitoes may be breeding and offer tips for reducing those conditions. They may tip out, remove, or treat standing water sources, and storm drains in the area may also receive treatment. The actions taken depend on what staff find.
An inspector may place a mosquito trap on your property to gather information about the mosquitoes present. That information helps staff determine which treatment is appropriate for the area. An on-site inspection is not required for every request: the County may already be conducting inspections or surveillance nearby. Likewise, submitting a request does not mean staff will apply insecticide at your home.
How Treatment Decisions Are Made
Mosquito Control evaluates requests using inspections and surveillance data, including information about the presence and type of mosquitoes. Residents cannot request a specific kind of spraying or treatment. Staff decide what action is appropriate after evaluating the conditions. This is why two nearby requests may not lead to identical work, and why reporting activity is useful even when a truck does not spray.
The County distinguishes between treatments aimed at immature mosquitoes in water and treatments aimed at flying adults. Its insecticide information sheet identifies products used for larviciding and adulticiding and lists their application methods. A resident’s service request is an opportunity for the County to evaluate the problem; it is not an order for a product named on that sheet.
When Truck Spraying Occurs
Truck spraying for adult mosquitoes takes place only when an area meets the County’s criteria. Mosquito Control gathers information through surveillance and inspections. If that information shows that an area meets the criteria, staff may conduct an adulticide spray mission by truck. A single service request does not automatically trigger neighborhood spraying.
When Mosquito Control staff recommend spraying, the County says spray activities are conducted between midnight and 6 a.m. That timing is different from property inspections, which occur during the day. Residents should not expect to make an appointment for a truck to spray their street or assume that a reported problem will be handled by spraying rather than an inspection, water treatment, or another response.
Areas Beyond One Property
The County considers several factors when selecting areas for treatment, including residents’ requests, requests from the Department of Health, and surveillance data. A news report about spraying in one area does not establish that another neighborhood will be covered next. Mosquito Control also determines whether an area meets the state requirements for aerial spraying; residents cannot arrange an aerial mission through an ordinary service request.
For aerial spraying and wide-area larviciding activities, the County says it works with local municipalities to provide notice, issues news releases, and publishes information about those activities on its website. This is separate from the completion notice sent to an individual who submitted a service request.
Mosquitoes Around Waterways and Lakes
Residents sometimes suspect a nearby lake, canal, or preserve is the source of mosquitoes. Large bodies of water may contain fish, dragonflies, and other animals that feed on mosquito larvae. Mosquito production may occur where aquatic vegetation grows along the edge or floats on the water. State regulations restrict directly applying mosquito control products to lakes and canals.
The County says its staff can visit a reported site to determine an appropriate treatment that limits effects on the ecosystem. Depending on the location, a city or homeowners association may be involved in removing aquatic vegetation that harbors mosquitoes. Submit a mosquito concern about your own property for County evaluation rather than assuming that the waterway itself should be sprayed.
Reducing Breeding Sites at Home
Removing standing water is one of the most useful steps residents can take while waiting for a response and between County visits. Some mosquitoes lay eggs on standing water; others lay eggs in containers or water-holding plants, where the eggs can remain until covered by water. Small overlooked items can therefore become breeding sites after rain or watering.
Containers and Yard Features
The County advises residents to empty small water-holding containers twice a week to keep immature mosquitoes from developing into adults. Walk around the property and pay particular attention to places that collect water:
Tip water out of flower pots, buckets, pool toys, pet dishes, and wheelbarrows.
Turn over and drain kiddie pools, pool covers, and garbage cans when appropriate.
Drill drainage holes in the bottoms of tire swings, garbage cans, and recycling bins where water collects.
Unclog rain gutters, flat roofs, and roof drains, and repair leaky outdoor faucets and spigots.
Flush water-holding plants such as bromeliads and palm fronds once a week.
The CDC’s mosquito control at home guidance also recommends regularly emptying and scrubbing, covering, turning over, or discarding items that hold water. It advises keeping water-storage containers tightly covered and maintaining window and door screens to help keep mosquitoes outside.
Water That Cannot Be Emptied
Some outdoor water sources cannot be dumped or drained regularly. Broward County identifies birdbaths, rain barrels, water gardens, cisterns, and water-holding plants among places where a suitable larvicide may be considered. Its homeowner information discusses products containing Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis or methoprene for containers and plants that cannot be emptied frequently. The County’s insecticide sheet also discusses consumer larvicide products containing Bti or spinosad. Check a product’s label for the type of water source it is intended to treat, how to apply it, and how long it lasts; follow the label directions.
The County also suggests stocking fish pools or lily ponds with minnows, which eat mosquito larvae. These property measures address breeding sites under a resident’s control. If mosquito problems continue, a resident can request an evaluation by the County’s licensed inspectors.
Preparing for an Inspection
If an inspector calls, be ready to confirm the property address and discuss access to the areas that need evaluation. You can point out where you have noticed mosquitoes and any water-holding items or plants you have found. The inspection focuses on identifying breeding conditions and choosing an appropriate response, so there is no need to specify a pesticide or ask for a truck route.
Continue removing standing water you can safely empty before and after the visit. An inspection can identify conditions and provide advice, but new water can collect after rain. Keeping containers drained and checking places such as gutters and plant leaves remains useful even when the County has treated a nearby storm drain or conducted surveillance.
Common Request Mistakes
The most consequential mistake is expecting a request to guarantee spraying. The County may inspect, collect surveillance data, treat breeding sources, or determine that truck spraying is appropriate for the area. It does not accept requests for a particular treatment or offer routine weekly spraying.
Another mistake is filing for a property you do not own or occupy. Have the owner or resident submit that property’s request. When the suspected source is a neighbor’s neglected pool, report mosquito activity at your own property to Mosquito Control and direct the pool-maintenance concern to municipal Code Enforcement.
Finally, use the mosquito service for mosquito problems. The County’s Mosquito Control Section does not treat no-see-ums, drain flies, sand flies, or other insects. Giving an accurate description, a correct property address, and reachable contact information helps staff evaluate the concern and contact you if access is needed.
Relevant County Offices
Broward County Mosquito Control Section — 311
311 Broward Call Center — 201 N.W. 84 Ave., Plantation, FL 33324; 311 or 954-831-4000; TTY 954-831-3940
Mosquito Control FAQs
Should I bring my pets inside during spraying?
Broward County recommends bringing pets indoors while scheduled spraying is underway. The County says its applications follow the label for each product and are not expected to affect pets. If you want to identify the products used in County operations, review its insecticide information sheet.
Where can I check for aerial spraying notices?
For aerial spraying and wide-area larviciding, Broward County says it coordinates notice with local municipalities, issues news releases, and posts activity information on its website. Check the County’s Mosquito Control page for posted updates. A notice about one area does not mean your neighborhood is included; coverage depends on the area identified for that activity.
What if mosquitoes are getting inside my home?
Check window and door screens for gaps, keep exterior doors closed, and look for water in indoor items such as vases and plant saucers. Empty and scrub water-holding items at least once a week, since eggs and larvae can remain in them. The CDC’s home mosquito guidance also identifies dark, humid places where mosquitoes may rest, including under sinks and furniture. If you use an indoor insecticide, follow its label; spraying alone will not prevent more mosquitoes from entering or breeding.
Can I ask for airplane spraying in my neighborhood?
Residents cannot schedule aerial spraying through an individual request. Broward County says an area must meet state requirements, and its Mosquito Control Section determines whether those requirements have been met. If you are concerned about mosquito activity at your property, submit a service request describing what you observe. The County uses reports along with other information when evaluating areas for treatment.