Bothered by pesky mosquitoes? Here's what you can do.

Franklin County is dealing with a "bite" of a problem due to an invasive mosquito. 

"On any given year we get 30 to 50 complaint calls, and 80 percent of them are related to Asian tiger mosquito problems," said Franklin County mosquito and tick borne disease control specialist Jason Goetz. 

According to Goetz it is documented that the invasive species (Aedes Albopictus) first came to the United States in the mid 1980s in shipments of used tires from Northern Asia. 

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The mosquito can be found throughout the state breeding in artificial containers such as unused buckets, tarps, corrugated pipes, clogged gutters and maybe the worst of all, old tires. 

"They prefer to breed in these artificial containers instead of in nature. A lot of the mosquito complaints I go to I end up finding tires full of water laying on the ground," Goetz said. "Once water gets trapped inside of the wall of the tire it pretty much stays there because it's shielded from the elements and it doesn't evaporate; it has nowhere to go." 

How do I know if I have an Asian tiger mosquito problem? 

According to Goetz, the first sign of the Asian tiger mosquito is getting bit during the daytime. 

"Most mosquitos bite at night, but the Asian tiger will bite during the day, and it's not just one bite; it will be multiple," he explained. "They are highly aggressive, and they have the potential to carry and transport many viruses such as West Nile and Zika virus; the Asian tiger mosquito is really bad in Franklin County right now,"

The first one was found locally in 2007.

"It was a single mosquito located at one trap site. Since then, Franklin County’s Mosquito Borne Disease program has witnessed these mosquitoes build populations across the county over the years, and in 2020 there were Asian tiger mosquitoes caught in traps in every township and borough within the county. 

"There was one trap in Franklin County that we caught close to 2,000 Asian tiger mosquitos. To put that number into perspective, anything over 40 indicates a mosquito problem." 

Currently there are 400 trap sites throughout the county, with approximately 120 of them that are actively monitored. 

How do we fix the problem?

To help manage the population, a few simple steps can be taken at the homeowner's level to the county level. 

• First, try and rid your property of any potential artificial water collecting devices.
• Second, understand what species you are dealing with, Asian tiger mosquitoes are black with white stripes.
• Third, if you cannot find a breeding ground on your property, search around, and ask your neighbors, they typically do not fly more that 200 yards from their birthplace. Once it's found, dump the water and store the item under cover to not collect water. 

"[Asian tiger mosquitoes] are a giant problem that could actually be a minute problem if every citizen ensured that they did not have artificial containers lying around," Goetz said. "Eliminating the breeding habitat is the number one defensive strategy in reducing [them] around your home. Without the ability to lay eggs, Asian tiger populations will dwindle quickly."

Increase in population usually occurs around mid-July, peaks in mid-August, and tapers off in September when nighttime temperatures decrease.

Taking action

To help combat the invasive species, an event collecting used and unwanted tires will be held on Oct. 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the former Franklin County Jail. 

The collection site, located at 625 Franklin Farm Lane in Chambersburg, will be staffed by the Franklin County planning department under the mosquito and tick-borne disease control program.

The collection is aimed at helping residents dispose of unwanted tires for a reduced fee while at the same time eliminating potential mosquito breeding sites.

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Those participating in the event are asked to pre-register. The event is first-come first-serve with a limit of 20 tires per household. 

Guidelines and cost for tire disposal are $2 for vehicle tires up to 35 inches in height, $4 for tires measuring 36-47 inches and $15 for tires measuring 48 inches or larger. Tires that are mounted on rims and tires that are full of debris are not accepted. 

Residents can access the registration form online at portal.co.franklin.pa.us/Forms/YWhoD. Forms are also available through the Franklin County Planning Department by calling 717-261-3855 or emailing planning@franklincountypa.gov. All completed registration forms and checks, made payable to FCPC, must be submitted to the Franklin County Planning Department, 272 N. Second St., Chambersburg, PA 17201, no later than Oct. 15.

For more information, contact the Franklin County Planning Department at 717-261-3855 or planning@franklincountypa.gov.