The time for mosquitoes is upon us and city employees are getting things ready to keep the community protected from these insects, Great Bend Street Superintendent Mike Crawford said.
The street department will use a new type of spray after its current stock runs out, Craword said. The new spray does not have the odor of the old spray but has the same effectiveness.
“The City of Hoisington has been using the new spray for awhile now and they have had good luck with it,” Crawford said. “We still have enough of the old spray that will take us to almost the end of the season, but will start using the new spray when we run out. The new spray is also applied the same way as the old spray.”
Certain areas expected to have standing water once it starts to rain will be treated with a tablet that reacts to water and kills the eggs that insects lay.
Spraying times will remain the same as last year: 8 p.m. to midnight on Thursdays.
“We do it on Thursday because we feel more people will be out during the evening hours on Friday walking their dogs and enjoying the outside air. We do not want to interrupt that with spraying for mosquitoes,” Crawford said.
According to the Mayo Clinic and Crawford, there are several steps to protect yourself from mosquito bites. These include:
Limit exposure to mosquitoes by:
• Avoiding outdoor activities when they’re most active, dusk to dawn.
• Repairing any tears in the screens on your windows, doors and camping gear.
• Using mosquito netting over strollers and cribs or when sleeping outdoors.
• Use insect repellent.

The most effective insect repellents in the United States include one of three active ingredients: DEET, Icaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
These ingredients temporarily repel mosquitoes and ticks. DEET may offer longer lasting protection.
If you’re also using sunscreen, put it on first, about 20 minutes before applying the repellent. Avoid products that combine sunscreen and repellent, because you’ll likely need to reapply sunscreen more often than repellent. And it’s better to use only as much repellent as you need.
Used according to package directions, these products are generally safe for children and adults, with a few exceptions:
• Don’t use DEET-containing products on infants younger than 2 months.
• Don’t let young children get DEET or icaridin containing products on their hands or faces.
• Don’t use oil of lemon eucalyptus on children under 3 years.
• Don’t apply repellent under clothing.
• Don’t apply repellent over sunburns, cuts, wounds or rashes.
When going indoors, wash with soap and water to remove any remaining repellent.
Treat clothing and outdoor gear.