Since 1957, Chatham County Mosquito Control has served as a vital public health resource, working to reduce mosquito populations across the entirety of Chatham County.

“We inspect over 1,100 known mosquito-producing sites throughout the county,” said Director Ture Carlson. “After every major rainfall, we try to get to those sites within a couple of days to prevent mosquitoes from becoming flying, biting adults.”

Still, it's next to impossible to prevent mosquitoes from maturing into adults, which can carry diseases such as West Nile Virus and Eastern equine encephalitis. To address this, the department uses two primary methods: truck-based ground spraying and aerial treatment by helicopter. “The yellow helicopters will treat for adult mosquitoes in the evenings, an hour before sunset,” Carlson explained.

The department’s aviation unit also supports broader county operations, including police work, search and rescue operations, firefighting, and survey work with the Engineering Department. 

This year, mosquito season began early due to heavy spring rains. “We’ve been fighting the fight on those nuisance mosquitoes since late March and early April,” said Carlson. “More water makes more mosquitoes, it’s as simple as that. Tides and rainfall dictate mosquito problems.”

Residents can stay informed through the County’s spray notification system. “You get an email, phone call, or text about 24 hours before the helicopters work in your area,” said Carlson.

Additionally, residents can report mosquito problem areas through the MyChatham app, available on the Apple and Google Play stores, as well as through the Chatham County Mosquito Control website.