The Cumberland County Department of Public Health is giving away mosquito dunks to Cumberland County residents while supplies last, according to a news release. The dunks are a biological control agent that kills mosquito larvae but is non-toxic to fish, birds, wildlife and pets.
The round-shaped dunks are effective for 30 days in standing water and will cover 100 square feet of surface area, the release said. They can be used in lakes, fishponds, bird baths, flower pots, drainage ditches, aquatic gardens and decorative ponds, flood-control basins, unused swimming pools and other areas where standing water creates a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Cumberland County residents can pick up a two-month supply of the insecticide in the Environmental Health section on the third floor of the Health Department, 1235 Ramsey St.,from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, the release said.
West Nile virus, La Crosse and Eastern equine encephalitis are the most reported mosquito-borne illnesses in North Carolina, the release said.
