Mosquitoes Breed On Foreclosures

June 23rd, 2008 | Tags: Foreclosure Notice

Literally mosquitoes are breeding on foreclosure – on the stagnant pools in vacant foreclosed houses. There is the fear of something far worse than the raging financial crisis – the spread of the deadly West Nile virus.

To tackle the foreclosure related mosquito problem dozens of tiny fish are being introduced to feast on mosquito larvae in murky slimy waters of abandoned foreclosed houses.

The house in Corona is just one of the many blighted houses with overgrown lawns and pools covered with black slimy film. The fish being introduced to this banquet are hardly 3” long but they have voracious appetites. If the larvae are the minions of foreclosures then the loyalty of the fish belongs to the group fighting it.

Riverside and San Bernardino have more than 14,000 foreclosure postings – it being one of the hardest hit zones in the country. This has led to a lot of work pressure on those engaged in vector control. The numbers of stagnant pools continue to rise alarmingly. It has become nearly double that of the previous year.

Mosquitoes transmit the West Nile virus and they have been found to be positive in this region. As yet no human findings have been reported. The enemy of mosquitoes is the mosquito-fish or Gambusia fffinis. It made its debut in California in 1922 for this very purpose of controlling mosquitoes. Today the fish are moving out from ornamental ponds, lakes and irrigation ditches to stagnant, deserted swimming pools of foreclosed houses. The introductions of the fish are beneficial in many ways – it dispenses with repeat visits and chemical treatment. A big sized female mosquito-fish can gobble a hundred larvae per day. They start the feast immediately and without delay, said Jared Ever, a specialist in the line form Northwest Mosquito and Vector Control District in Corona.

Officials say that although use of chemicals cannot be totally eliminated the fish reduce its need to a great extent. It is a natural remedy. The fish are being collected from nearby ponds and then taken to wherever the need arises. Unfortunately drought conditions are drying up these natural sources. But foreclosure related problems have led to an increase in demand of the fish. As such they are being artificially hatched in tanks. Even then it is difficult to keep pace with the rising number of foreclosed pools. The fish had always been in use but never to this gigantic scale. The fight goes on and the doubt remains as to whether the foreclosure numbers will have the last laugh.