The Morris County Division of Mosquito Control, founded in 1928 as the Morris County Mosquito Commission, has the goal ofreducing the number of nuisance and  disease transmitting mosquitoes within the County. The Division employs a number of techniques to provide this service to residents with minimal impact on the environment. The program can be summarized as follows:

1) Water Management - The Division carries out extensive efforts to remove blockages from Morris County waterways, and to maintain drainage systems as needed. Such work is done carefully, with environmental impacts kept clearly in mind. This program helps reduce the use of insecticides needed to control mosquitoes.

2) Larval Control - Mosquitoes all start out in water as larvae, or "wrigglers". In areas where water management is not feasible, larval control is necessary. Some locations are suitable for stocking with mosquitofish, which provide continuous, biological control of mosquitoes. In other areas, larvicides may be used to eliminate mosquitoes.  We choose products that are specific for mosquitoes and have minimal or no effect on other organisms in the aquatic environment for this purpose, and these are applied by trained staff licensed by the NJDEP. All products are registered with both the USEPA and the NJDEP which mean they are legal to use in NJ and are reviewed and  recommended by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Cook College/Rutgers University. Locations receive treahment only when surveys show that large  numbers of mosquitoes are a threat to populated regions. These products are applied by hand crews, by all terrain vehicles, or by helicopter. Larval habitats are treated only when larvae are present.

3) Adult Control - Although this is the most visible aspect of mosquito control, we consider this to be a last resort. We try to stop mosquitoes before they are out and flying around. When adult control is needed because of a severe mosquito infestation, we generally use truck mounted sprayers that apply 1/2 - 1 ounce of material per acre.  Sometimes, small hand sprayers are used to treat remote locations and possibly a helicopter might be used to treat large areas in time of public health emergencies. Homeowners can help control mosquitoes by making sure they do not have containers around the home that hold water. Buckets, gutters, bird baths, toys, tarpaulins, and  anything else than can contain water should be emptied or removed from the yard. Do not dispose of leaves and grass clippings in ditches, streams or catch basins. Make sure your screens are in good repair and consider moving inside during periods of high mosquito activity ( early evening and early morning).

The Morris County Division of Mosquito Control is constantly striving to improve our operations. These efforts include employing new products that are more specific for mosquitoes, using new equipment that gets us into problem areas more easily, and trying new methods for controlling mosquitoes. The employees of the Division take  their service to the public seriously and will work to serve Morris County residents with the best possible mosquito control efforts.

Where can I find more specific information on mosquito spraying in Morris County, and how will I be notified of the spraying?
Call the Morris County Division of Mosquito Control at 973-285-6450. Attached is an example of a newspaper notice placed in the Daily Record and Star-Ledger by the Morris County Division of Mosquito Control throughout the mosquito control treatment season. A citizen has the right to ask the Mon·is County Division of Mosquito Control for specific information about a plam1ed application in the county prior to that application.

If you have any questions about the Morris County Division of Mosquito Control, please let us know, or visit our web site at www.morrismosguito.org.

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