It’s mosquito season in the D.C. area. But this year, some residents are biting back.
“Mosquitoes are terrible here,” Capitol Hill resident Michelle Mingrone said. “For the past few years, in particular, I haven’t been able to be outside for more than three minutes without being bit by probably five to 10 mosquitoes.”
Mingrone is the founder of the Itty Bitty Mosquito Population Committee. It’s inspired by a community-based mosquito control she found in University Park, Maryland, that was effective in areas with a high participation rate.
“Mosquitoes don’t respect property lines,” she said. “A well-placed trap between two houses is actually going to impact the mosquito population from both houses, versus trying to do it individually.”
The idea is to raise awareness and encourage people to be vigilant. They educate neighbors on how to toss standing water, treat water they can’t toss and trap mosquitoes. The company Biogents is offering them a community discount on traps. The BG-Mosquitaire is the most expensive model and targets host-seeking females, which are the ones actively trying to bite you.
“This trap attracts mosquitoes who are seeking a blood meal,” Mingrone said. “It has a little scent pack in there that smells kind of like BO. It’s pretty gross, but the mosquitoes love it. They fly towards it, and there’s a fan that sucks them into this net.”
She said the traps have made a big difference in her yard, showing WTOP about 100 mosquitoes caught in the net.
“Mosquitoes picked the wrong hill to die on,” she said.
So far, she said the response in her neighborhood has been incredible. More than 1,000 households have joined the mission, and she has more than 100 block captains helping to coordinate.
“It’s growing really fast. People are really excited,” she said. “If we get enough coverage and enough participation, we should see a real, meaningful impact on our mosquito situation.”
Mingrone said she hopes to expand the Itty Bitty Mosquito Population Committee beyond Capitol Hill. For more information, visit the organization’s website.
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