Min-Lee Cheng is not in the market for a new home, but the West Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District’s manager peruses ForeclosureRadar.com on a regular basis.
Abandoned properties with pools are Cheng’s prime target – as homeowners move out, mosquitoes often move in.
“When money is tight, people let go of their pools to put the food on the table,” he said. “But I have a zero-
tolerance policy. If you see a mosquito larva, you have to treat it.”
Abundant rainfall has contributed to the region’s continuous teetering on the brink of what the state’s Department of Public Health dubbed an “emergency planning” stage – it calls for increased watchfulness for mosquitoes, as well as conducting localized chemical control of adult and larvae populations.
“Warm weather, coupled with early rainfall and increased backyard sources, are prime conditions for mosquitoes to thrive,” Cheng said.