{"id":3148,"date":"2026-06-19T11:05:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T11:05:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=3148"},"modified":"2026-06-19T11:05:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T11:05:09","slug":"why-cant-we-just-get-rid-of-mosquitoes-one-fed-up-community-is-trying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=3148","title":{"rendered":"Why can\u2019t we just get rid of mosquitoes? One fed-up community is trying"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div>\n<div> <div>\n<button>\n<strong>\n<span><svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n<span>Summary<\/span>\n<\/strong>\n<span><svg><\/svg>\n<\/span>\n<span><svg><\/svg>\n<\/span>\n<\/button>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>A DC resident frustrated by mosquitoes launched a grassroots campaign that drew 1,800 homes in three months.<\/li>\n<li>The Itty Bitty Mosquito Population Committee uses some pesticide-free tactics like eliminating standing water and deploying traps.<\/li>\n<li>Climate change is expanding mosquito populations into areas without adequate control programs, raising concerns about disease spread.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<span>AI-generated summary was reviewed by a CNN editor.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            Michelle Mingrone was sick of being a mosquito\u2019s blood meal.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            For the avid gardener in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC, stepping out the front door in the summer meant being assaulted by hordes of those flying hypodermic needles, ready to bore into her skin and leave itchy welts \u2013 and sometimes serious infections like malaria or Zika \u2013 behind.\n    <\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=3126\">Why Republicans think they can save their House majority at the US-Mexico border<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cThey\u2019re intolerable. You cannot be outside,\u201d Mingrone said. \u201cI grew up in the woods. I want my kids to be outside, and every year it is so frustrating that we just can\u2019t be outside because of the mosquitoes.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            She reached out to the local government in February and learned one full-time specialist oversees the district\u2019s summer mosquito operation, with help on an as-needed basis.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            If their yards were going to get less buggy, she realized that she and her neighbors would need to take on the job themselves.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Mingrone wrote a post on a local parenting listserv in March. It began, \u201cHi neighbors. Mosquito season is nearly upon us, and I\u2019m determined to do something about it this year.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Spraying is a temporary solution that may help a bit, Mingrone notes, but it also kills a lot of beneficial insects like bees and dragonflies. Rather, she was inspired by a Maryland community that used a multipronged pesticide-free approach to knock down the local population of Asian tiger mosquitoes. The more people who joined, the more effective it would be, since mosquitoes don\u2019t respect property lines.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cWant in?\u201d she asked, sharing a link to an interest form and a dedicated email address.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Mingrone was hoping to get buy-in from about 40 households. In the first four days, she had 600 responses.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            The Itty Bitty Mosquito Population Committee was launched.<em><\/em>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Michelle Mingrone asked her neighbors in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC, whether they were interested in tackling their mosquito problem. Within four days, she had 600 responses.\" class=\"wp-image-3138\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/45d3402210ff6013aa3aa2ebace92114-768x512.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/45d3402210ff6013aa3aa2ebace92114-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/45d3402210ff6013aa3aa2ebace92114-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/45d3402210ff6013aa3aa2ebace92114.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>Michelle Mingrone asked her neighbors in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC, whether they were interested in tackling their mosquito problem. Within four days, she had 600 responses.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Maansi Srivastava\/CNN<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            \u201cI knew mosquitoes are bad, and people were frustrated, but I wasn\u2019t expecting that scale of response, and so I just kind of rolled with it,\u201d Mingrone said.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            It\u2019s not just DC. Mosquitoes are everywhere, and their populations are growing. Thanks to climate change, mosquitoes are now found in nearly every corner of the planet, far beyond their strongholds in South America, Central America and Africa.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            According to the World Mosquito Program, countries in Europe have begun to see increases in mosquitoes and the diseases they carry, like malaria, dengue, Zika and chikungunya. Extreme flooding in Germany last year helped mosquito populations swell to 10 times their usual numbers. Even Iceland \u2014 one of last mosquito-free places on Earth \u2014 reported finding mosquitoes in 2025.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            In the US, municipal mosquito control efforts haven\u2019t kept up. Areas that have long battled mosquitoes, like Miami and South Texas, have well-funded, integrated mosquito control programs. But there are many newer mosquito havens in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest that haven\u2019t adequately funded or staffed mosquito control, said Dr. Daniel Markowski, a technical adviser for the American Mosquito Control Association.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cAs the weather patterns are shifting, mosquitoes are shifting, as well as the diseases they carry,\u201d Markowski said. \u201cThey\u2019re shifting their distribution, their frequency, and bringing diseases with them into areas that don\u2019t have good mosquito control programs more and more.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cThat\u2019s a real concern.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Cleaning her mosquito traps is \u201cpretty gross and very satisfying,\" class=\"wp-image-3139\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/8acfd846617a438a38a864b5525f4cb2-768x512.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/8acfd846617a438a38a864b5525f4cb2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/8acfd846617a438a38a864b5525f4cb2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/8acfd846617a438a38a864b5525f4cb2.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>Cleaning her mosquito traps is \u201cpretty gross and very satisfying,&#8221; Michelle Mingrone says.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Maansi Srivastava\/CNN<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The Itty Bitty Mosquito Population Committee now encompasses 1,800 homes across the city.\" class=\"wp-image-3140\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/03831e2c98e67821d225dd66f5d5acc8.jpg\" width=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/03831e2c98e67821d225dd66f5d5acc8.jpg 683w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/03831e2c98e67821d225dd66f5d5acc8-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>The Itty Bitty Mosquito Population Committee now encompasses 1,800 homes across the city.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Maansi Srivastava\/CNN<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Michelle Mingrone checks sewer grates in her neighborhood. When water is trapped inside, mosquitoes can breed easily.\" class=\"wp-image-3141\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/71ff34e9f8083cf8e9f4e6b009b28be7.jpg\" width=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/71ff34e9f8083cf8e9f4e6b009b28be7.jpg 683w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/71ff34e9f8083cf8e9f4e6b009b28be7-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>Michelle Mingrone checks sewer grates in her neighborhood. When water is trapped inside, mosquitoes can breed easily.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Maansi Srivastava\/CNN<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>\n<strong>The world\u2019s deadliest animals<\/strong>\n<\/h2>\n<p>\n            Longer periods of warm temperatures mean earlier emergence and longer mosquito seasons in many parts of the world. There are nearly 3,700 species that use their tube-like mouths to tap through animals\u2019 skin and feed on blood for protein, which they need to lay their eggs.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Not all these species are harmful to people, however, and they do provide some benefits.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n            In addition to blood, mosquitoes need sugar for energy, which they get from the nectar of plants, making them important pollinators. The insects and their eggs are also a food source for other insects like dragonflies, as well as birds, bats and fish.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Luckily for us, most types of mosquitoes depend on other animal sources like frogs, birds and small mammals for their meals. Only a handful of species have evolved to prefer human blood.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            But these few species are devastating, causing some 700 million illnesses and 1 million deaths globally each year due to infections like malaria, dengue fever, Zika and West Nile virus.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            In 2024, another DC resident, Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, wrote about getting West Nile from a mosquito in his backyard \u2014 an infection that left him fatigued, feverish and delirious, and afraid he would \u201cnever recover and return to normal.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Larvicide, including Mosquito Bits and Mosquito Dunks, are a key part of the committee's efforts to stop mosquitoes from breeding in ponds and other water sources.\" class=\"wp-image-3142\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ffdc7bd57f1641f6bea9d9eb00ae7617-768x512.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ffdc7bd57f1641f6bea9d9eb00ae7617-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ffdc7bd57f1641f6bea9d9eb00ae7617-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ffdc7bd57f1641f6bea9d9eb00ae7617.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>Larvicide, including Mosquito Bits and Mosquito Dunks, are a key part of the committee&#8217;s efforts to stop mosquitoes from breeding in ponds and other water sources.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Maansi Srivastava\/CNN<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            Mosquitoes are such a scourge that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has named them the world\u2019s deadliest animals.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            While most scientists say it wouldn\u2019t be ethical or even feasible to try to get rid of all types of mosquitoes, many say it makes senseto try to eradicate the main species that feed on humans.\n    <\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=3120\">As union leader, Democrat-backed Senate candidate Dan Osborn helped alert ICE to claims of undocumented workers<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cCertainly, from an ethical and moral point of view, if we\u2019re talking about countries where diseases are being transmitted, it\u2019s very hard to turn around and say to an African mother with her child that has just had malaria, \u2018you should not be killing those mosquitoes because they\u2019re part of the ecosystem,\u2019\u201d said Dr. Bart Knols, a Dutch biologist who runs the website Malariaworld.org.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Knols points out that humans have long been at war with mosquitoes.<br\/>The trick to getting rid of them effectively is taking out the insect without ultimately paying the price in other ways.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            He points to the pesticide DDT, which was hailed as a miracle mosquito killer in the 1940s, when it was deployed during World War II. It was later banned for most uses by the US Environmental Protection Agency after it was shown to persist in the environment and harm other animals, including people.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The pesticide DDT was hailed as a miracle mosquito killer in the 1940s, when it was deployed during World War II, but later banned for most uses by the US Environmental Protection Agency.\" class=\"wp-image-3143\" height=\"599\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/b4a8ba69954cdb664994b4ed986fcdbc-768x599.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/b4a8ba69954cdb664994b4ed986fcdbc-768x599.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/b4a8ba69954cdb664994b4ed986fcdbc-300x234.jpg 300w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/b4a8ba69954cdb664994b4ed986fcdbc.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>The pesticide DDT was hailed as a miracle mosquito killer in the 1940s, when it was deployed during World War II, but later banned for most uses by the US Environmental Protection Agency.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>HUM Images\/Universal Images Group\/Getty Images<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            Instead of going the chemical route, he says, there\u2019s a suite of more targeted technologies being now being developed and tested to reduce mosquito populations, including inserting harmful genes into their DNA and infecting them with bacteria called Wolbachia, which acts like birth control.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Dr. Raymond St. Leger, an entomologist and distinguished professor at the University of Maryland, took another approach using naturally occurring mosquito-killing fungus found around the roots of some plants.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            He bioengineered it, adding genes from spiders and scorpions to make it a faster poison, as well as genes that produce floral odors that attract mosquitoes. When the mosquito lands on the fungus, its hook-like spores burrow through the insect\u2019s exoskeleton and kill it within days. If further tests are successful, he envisions using it to both bait and poison mosquito traps.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Because the mosquitoes that bite humans in the US generally come from two invasive species that only recently arrived in North America, they really play no role in ecological diversity here, St. Leger said.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cI would be in favor of certainly suppressing a mosquito population in America,\u201d he said.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Michelle Mingrone keeps two electric mosquito traps running: one in her front yard and one in back.\" class=\"wp-image-3144\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/bae7dbf27d5cd6f88b3a103f8322e1e3-768x512.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/bae7dbf27d5cd6f88b3a103f8322e1e3-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/bae7dbf27d5cd6f88b3a103f8322e1e3-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/bae7dbf27d5cd6f88b3a103f8322e1e3.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>Michelle Mingrone keeps two electric mosquito traps running: one in her front yard and one in back.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Maansi Srivastava\/CNN<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>\n<strong>A five-pronged approach<\/strong>\n<\/h2>\n<p>\n            The Itty Bitty Mosquito Population Committee is trying, at least in their own backyards.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Their approach relies on five things to make yards less hospitable.\n    <\/p>\n<h4>\n<strong>Throw out standing water<\/strong>\n<\/h4>\n<p>\n            First, Mingrone said, they\u2019ve gotten vigilant about tossing any standing water, since the amount in even a bottlecap is enough to allow females to lay their eggs. In her own yard, Mingrone has learned that cracked lids on garbage containers allow water to pool after a rain, setting up a major breeding ground.\n    <\/p>\n<h4>\n<strong>Treat larger water sources<\/strong>\n<\/h4>\n<p>\n            Water sources that can\u2019t be tossed, like Mingrone\u2019s small frog pond, get treated with tablets called Mosquito Dunks, which contain a natural larvicide to kill the newly hatched next generation. Storm drains are another major breeding ground that also need regular treatment.\n    <\/p>\n<h4>\n<strong>Lure them in<\/strong>\n<\/h4>\n<p>\n            Mingrone and her neighbors use a combination of baited traps that lure mosquitoes with human smells and hold them with glue or fans until they die. She negotiated a discount with the German company that sells the traps, Biogents.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cI did a very amateur mosquito count and in 24 hours got 104 mosquitoes,\u201d Mingrone said, and cleaning the traps is \u201cpretty gross and very satisfying.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            The electric traps, called Mosquitaires, are so effective that they have  that bite humans from entire islands in the Philippines, said Knols, who led the project.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n            Mingrone has two running: one in her front yard and another in the back.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The Itty Bitty Mosquito Population Committee doesn't yet have hard data to show that the bug situation is improving, but Michelle Mingrone says she can tell the difference from last year.\" class=\"wp-image-3145\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/5dd63d727e5173b561e5960a8a06e3da-768x512.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/5dd63d727e5173b561e5960a8a06e3da-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/5dd63d727e5173b561e5960a8a06e3da-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/5dd63d727e5173b561e5960a8a06e3da.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>The Itty Bitty Mosquito Population Committee doesn&#8217;t yet have hard data to show that the bug situation is improving, but Michelle Mingrone says she can tell the difference from last year.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>\/Maansi Srivastava<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The committee's efforts help Michelle Mingrone enjoy her garden without getting mosquito bites.\" class=\"wp-image-3146\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fac42fa5e1e9df2b755b4d816660776d.jpg\" width=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fac42fa5e1e9df2b755b4d816660776d.jpg 683w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fac42fa5e1e9df2b755b4d816660776d-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>The committee&#8217;s efforts help Michelle Mingrone enjoy her garden without getting mosquito bites.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Maansi Srivastava\/CNN<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Trash bins can become a hotbed for mosquitoes when their lids don't fully close and rainwater collects inside.\" class=\"wp-image-3147\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/13e87cf73f9c2bd0fb38d8e4518e42c6.jpg\" width=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/13e87cf73f9c2bd0fb38d8e4518e42c6.jpg 683w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/13e87cf73f9c2bd0fb38d8e4518e42c6-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>Trash bins can become a hotbed for mosquitoes when their lids don&#8217;t fully close and rainwater collects inside.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Maansi Srivastava\/CNN<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h4>\n<strong>Swap plants<\/strong>\n<\/h4>\n<p>\n            Some plants, like English ivy and bamboo, allow mosquitoes to thrive in moist, shady environments. Native plants like native golden ragwort or switchgrass are not as hospitable.\n    <\/p>\n<h4>\n<strong>Spread the word<\/strong>\n<\/h4>\n<p>\n            The committee is urging members to share the details of the campaign, since mass participation increases the likelihood of success.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            In just three months, 1,800 homes have joined the project, which is managed by more than 220 block captains in neighborhoods throughout DC.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            They don\u2019t have any hard data yet \u2014 that\u2019s the next step \u2014 but it seems their combined efforts are working.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cPretty much all of the people that I\u2019ve talked to have said the mosquitoes are way better this year,\u201d Mingrone said. \u201cI\u2019ve been having dinner parties outside. I sat outside and was doing work all day in the yard the other day, and I definitely was not able to do that this time last year.\u201d\n    <\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=3114\">Analysis: What the missing center has meant for the Supreme Court<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mosquitoes are everywhere, and their populations are growing. In one Washington, DC, neighborhood, the Itty Bitty Mosquito Population Committee is trying to squash them all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3127,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Why can\u2019t we just get rid of mosquitoes? One fed-up community is trying - Relocation Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=3148\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why can\u2019t we just get rid of mosquitoes? One fed-up community is trying - Relocation Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Mosquitoes are everywhere, and their populations are growing. 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