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Mosquito Control District

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Overview 

The St. Lucie County Mosquito Control District was established in 1926 as a dependent taxing district.  The District covers 301 square miles and includes both the City of Ft. Pierce and Port St. Lucie.  The District is overseen by its own board and the Florida Department of Agriculture and  Consumer Services, Bureau of Entomology and Pest Control.   The five County Commissioners also serve as the District Board members.  Mosquito Control consists of three divisions; Administration, Inspection, Impoundment Operations.

Integrated Mosquito Management  

Residents are most familiar with the trucks used for spraying adult mosquitoes, but the District uses a variety of resources to control mosquitoes with a Integrated Mosquito Management plan.  Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM) is a comprehensive mosquito prevention/control strategy that utilizes all available mosquito control methods, singly or in combination, to exploit the known vulnerabilities of mosquitoes in order to reduce their numbers to tolerable levels while maintaining a quality environment.  Services include, but are not limited to, reduction of mosquito breeding habitat, control of mosquito larvae where possible, monitoring of mosquitoes and viruses they sometimes carry, measurement and analysis of environmental information, environmental education, and public use of impounded wetland parks.

IMM does not emphasize mosquito elimination or eradication. Integrated mosquito management methods are specifically tailored to safely counter each stage of the mosquito life cycle. Prudent mosquito management practices for the control of immature mosquitoes (larvae and pupae) include such methods as the use of biological controls (native, noninvasive predators), source reduction (water or vegetation management or other compatible land management uses), water sanitation practices as well as the use of EPA registered larvicides. When source elimination or larval control measures are not feasible or are clearly inadequate, or when faced with imminent mosquito -borne disease, application of EPA-registered adulticides by applicators trained in the special handling characteristics of these products may be needed.  Adulticide products are chosen based upon their demonstrated efficacy against species targeted for control, resistance management concerns and minimization of potential environmental impact.