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Mount Pleasant Combats West Nile With Minnows

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- The Westchester County Health Department will once again give out free fathead minnows to residents on Friday, May 2 and Saturday, May 3 to help prevent ornamental ponds from becoming breeding sites for mosquitoes that can carry West Nile Virus.

Westchester County will give out fathead minnows to help curtail the mosquito population.

Westchester County will give out fathead minnows to help curtail the mosquito population.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The minnows reduce the mosquito population because they feed on mosquito larvae and pupae before they emerge into adult mosquitoes, health officials said.

Minnows should be released in ponds that have a minimum of 8 to 12 inches of water.

“Last year was our first minnow giveaway, and it was so successful that we are bringing it back for a second year,” Health Commissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler said in a statement. “I hope that residents with ponds on their properties will once again take advantage of this natural strategy to help us curtail the mosquito population.”

The county has 200 pounds of fathead minnows to distribute Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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