Ticks 

DPA Damminix (Tick Tubes) Program



Damminix treatments: Spring & Earlier Fall

Damminix Tick Tubes deliver tick-controlling permethrin in the form of patented Damminix Tick Tubes. Permethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid, is based on a natural compound extracted from chrysanthemums. Place biodegradable Damminix Tick Tubes around your property in the spring and fall. Mice, the host animals for deer ticks, collect the permethrin-treated material to line their nests. The deer ticks on the mice are then exposed to permethrin, and are killed. The mice and other mammals are unharmed.

 

Mosquitoes are a part of the natural food chain on Fire Island. Dragonflies, birds, and bats eat adult mosquitoes, and small fish and diving beetles eat tiny mosquito larvae suspended just below the water's surface. Mosquitoes begin as tiny eggs deposited in wet areas such as ponds, marshes, mud flats, or outdoor containers such as old tires or buckets. You can eliminate mosquito breeding areas by eliminating anything that can collect rainwater.

Male mosquitoes eat only plant nectar which aids in pollination, but females need to eat blood to produce eggs. Mosquitoes generally seek rabbits and deer, but they may choose any warm-blooded animal including humans. they locate prey by detecting carbon dioxide which all animals, including humans, exhale when breathing.

Mosquitoes are known to transmit both Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV). Although several species of mosquitoes live at Fire Island, the risk of contracting EEE or WNV at the park is low. Fire Island National Seashore generally lacks the habitat where EEE and WNV-transmitting mosquitoes originate. However, to ensure the health and safety of residents, visitors and employees, the National Park Service has installed a monitoring program at Fire Island National Seashore to detect any incidence of EEE or WNV in the mosquito population.

Protect yourself by using insect repellent and follow the directions on the label carefully. Wear long sleeves, pants, and socks to keep mosquitoes away from your skin. Avoid being outdoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.

Remove Breeding Sources

Your help in preventing mosquito breeding is very important. Standing water provides a place for mosquitoes to lay their eggs and mature into biting adults that can spread disease.

Remove standing water sources like these from around your home: