LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — If you feel like you being attacked by mosquitoes, you're not alone.
It's an issue a lot of you have asked us about, and many of you have commented about on social media.
Experts have confirmed the explosion of the population, and we got a first hand look at the county's newest mosquito fighting tool.
"It is our new drone for our insect suppression program," said Nathanial Crose, officer with the Clark County Vector Control.
Check out Clark County Vector Control's new tool, a drone called RC-1.
"Basically you fly it and spray out the stuff," Crose said.
Crose flies the drone to drop pesticides on weeds and water-born insects, like black flies and mosquitoes in county bodies of water.
"What is wild it looks like you are on Google maps or something," Moeller said.
"Pretty much. Google maps is the base form of it," Crose said.
It cost about $68,000.
"The drone's main focus will be on the black fly program we have down in Laughlin, but we will be able to use in the mosquito abatement program," said Christopher Bramley, Clark County Vector Control supervisor.
Bramley has been with the vector control for decades.
"With the advent of this invasive Aedes mosquito, that is where all of these complaints are coming from, so that is the uptick we have dealt with," he said.
A lot of people have posted on social media wondering why we have so many mosquitoes. So we did some digging and found the Aedes aegypti mosquito first popped up in Southern Nevada in 2017. In the past few years, the population has exploded, and this season, folks are feeling the bite.
It's different than other mosquitoes as it only takes a bottle cap of water to breed.
"These mosquitoes don't need a lot of water. A valve box that is leaking holding water, these tires in your backyard," Bramley said.
Similar drones are used in northern Nevada, but this is the first for Clark County.
As for the pesticides used for mosquito abatement, Bramley tells us all products are safe for animals, people and their pets in addition to the environment.
Larvacide applications are made using BTI’s (Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis). These products only affect mosquitoes, black flies and Chironomid midges.
He says the Vector Control staff trains annually for all applications regarding pesticides and the department only uses environmentally safe and sound larvicides and best management practices in all of their programs.
Vector Control says the county is working to fight the bite, but property owners also need need to do their part by getting rid of any standing water on your property.
If you have questions for Clark County’s Vector Control, you can reach them at 702-455-7543.
