Mosquito Control

 Mosquito Dunks

RCDOH provides Mosquito Dunks to owners of unused private swimming pools and spas, which help control mosquito larvae before they grow into biting adults.

Dunks can be picked up by appointment only, from April 1 - October 31, during normal business hours, at the Yeager Health Center- 50 Sanatorium Rd, Pomona, NY, while supplies last.

Step 1: Call 845-364-3173 or e-mail us at wnv@co.rockland.ny.us to arrange a pickup.

Step 2: Print the Mosquito Dunk Order Form and bring it to your arranged pickup time.

Step 3: Call 845-364-3173 upon arrival and our staff will bring the dunks to you.

• Guidance for the proper use of Mosquito Dunks
• Blank Posting of any biological or chemical treatment made in an attempt to prevent mosquito breeding requires proper posting.
• Mosquito Dunks ® label for public display when treating your property.

If you have friends or neighbors who are not opening their pool this year, please let them know about our program.

Concerned about a property or area of standing water breeding mosquitoes? Let us know! Submit an Online Complaint

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Fathead Minnows

Why Use Fathead Minnows?

Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) help control the mosquito population by eating the larvae and pupae before they become flying, biting adult mosquitoes. They provide an excellent means of natural control in the waters they are introduced to and thrive under most conditions.

Where Can Fathead Minnows Be Used?

To use the Fathead Minnows effectively, they should be stocked in areas that have a minimum of 8-12 inches of water. RCDOH encourages placing small amounts of the minnows in large containers on your property, such as:

• ornamental ponds
• open-topped rain barrels
• watering troughs for large animals (i.e. horses)
• dormant, unused swimming pools

Do not to stock fish in fishless waters that may be used by amphibians (frogs and salamanders) for breeding. It is not necessary to stock streams and rivers with minnows, as mosquitoes generally do not lay eggs in moving water. It is also not necessary to stock areas that already have a thriving fish population.

In the Spring, RCDOH staff stock Fathead minnows in larger areas of standing water such as retention basins, swamps, and natural ponds*.

_{^{*Licensing is required by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to stock fish in any location that has an outlet or can flow into a different body of water. A permit will be provided to those participating in the RCDOH fish giveaway program and is specific for Rockland County only.}}

A Fathead Minnow giveaway for Rockland residents takes place every Spring. Stay tuned for the 2027 giveaway!

Keep Your Swimming Pool Mosquito-Free

Residents are required to maintain their swimming pools and spas to prevent mosquito-breeding potential from April 1-October 31. The following are options for maintaining compliance:

Open the Pool
When a pool is open for use with active disinfection and filtration, no other action needs to be taken.

Cover the Pool
When a pool cover (either solid or mesh) is 100% dry on the surface, is free of holes or tears, and is securely fitted to the pool, no other action needs to be taken. If there is water on the cover:

• Remove all of the water
• Treat the cover with a larvicide*

If the cover has holes or tears, mosquitoes can still access the water in the pool. If using a larvicide, both the pool water and the top of the cover must be treated.

Empty the Pool
When there is no functional cover available and the pool is not being disinfected and filtered:

• Empty the pool and keep it free of all water
• Treat the pool water with a larvicide*
• Stock the pool with a RCDOH-approved fish species (like Fathead Minnows)

*Larvicides are designed to kill mosquitoes at the larval stage before they can become flying, biting adults. If you use a larvicide, a copy of the product's label must be conspicuously posted along with the application date, applicator's name, phone number, and amount of product used. Always follow the product's label instructions.

Property owners may treat their own property with general use larvicide(s). To treat someone else's property with a larvicide, you must be appropriately licensed by NYSDEC.

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Mosquito Control Tips

• Eliminate all standing water on and around your home and property where mosquitoes can reproduce by taking these steps:
  • Check your yard for any containers that can hold water. (Any amount of standing water can serve as a breeding site for Asian tiger mosquitoes).
  • Discard or recycle unwanted containers or empty the water out at least once a week.
  • Get rid of used tires at the Bowline Transfer Station.
  • Clean clogged roof gutters and make sure they drain properly.
  • Drain areas where water collects on the ground and fill with dirt or add landscaping.
  • Turn over wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use.
  • Change the water in birdbaths twice a week.
• Talk to your neighbors about mosquitoes and proper outdoor container storage so you all can enjoy the outdoors without being bitten!

If you suspect an unmaintained pool or improper container storage, please let us know:
Report a Concern

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Resources

• Keep Rockland Beautiful- Did you know, one tire can breed over 400,000 mosquitoes in a single summer? Help clean up litter. Visit Keep Rockland Beautiful to find out how.
• New York State Department of Health- Mosquito and Diseases website.

Larval Control focuses on reducing Rockland's mosquito population at the larval stage. Larval control is performed during the Spring and Summer by identifying and monitoring over 1,000 mosquito breeding sites and treatment of over 20,000 roadside catch basins throughout Rockand.

In an attempt to minimize pesticide use, biological mosquito control is used in the form of free giveaways to the public. Mosquito Dunks are available to assist private homeowners with unused or poorly maintained swimming pools. RCDOH holds a one-day giveaway of live Fathead Minnows (mosquito-eating fish). This event provides a fun way for residents to perform their own mosquito control in the waters of Rockland County.

Larval control treatments may occur throughout all of Rockland County from April 1 through November 30. Treatment areas include, but are not limited to, wetlands, woodland pools, retention basins, unmaintained swimming pools, and other water holding receptacles that may be breeding mosquitoes. A copy of the pesticide label will be provided upon request.

Treatment products routinely used by RCDOH Mosquito Control staff:

• Altosid XR (150 day)
• Aquabac 200G
• Duplex G (granule)
• FourStar Controlled Release Granule (CRG)
• FourStar Bti Controlled Release Granule (Bti CRG)
• FourStar Briquets 180 Day
• Mosquito Dunks®
• VectoBac G (granule)
• Vectomax CG (granule)
• Vectoprime FG (granule)

If you have any questions, contact the RCDOH Mosquito Control Program at 845-364-3173 or the NYSDEC Region 3 Office at 845-256-3097.

Mosquito Control staff conduct routine and complaint-based inspections at many commercial properties that are considered "high risk" for mosquito breeding potential. Staff also investigate mosquito breeding concerns against private residential properties. A letter is sent to the owner/occupant of the property to inform them of the alleged mosquito breeding, emphasizing the need to remove breeding sites, and provide guidance on how to do so. During inspections, field staff search for possible mosquito breeding sites or signs of breeding. If breeding is detected, a larval sample is taken for identification. Should educational efforts not yield results or if violations persist, RCDOH staff may intervene to eeliminate the mosquito breeding threat or pursue legal measures, potentially resulting in an Administrative Hearing or fines.

Concerned about a property or area of standing water breeding mosquitoes? Let us know!

Submit a Complaint

In accordance with Rockland County Sanitary Code, Article XIX, a Mosquito Breeding Suppression Plan (MBSP) must be submitted to, and approved by, RCDOH at least 30 days prior to construction of a new storm water facility. A storm water facility includes, but is not limited to:

• Detention Basins
• Retention Basins
• Recharge Basins
• Catch Basins
• Dry Wells
• Level Spreaders
• Underground Chambers

The MBSP must describe methods that reduce mosquito breeding potential at all new storm water facilities. Effective actions may include, but are not limited to, design standards that prevent breeding, chemical or biological treatment, or the installation of an aeration system.

• MBSP Application

For additional information, please call 845-364-3173.