City of Morris to spray for mosquitos starting Thursday, May 16

The City of Morris will begin its mosquito abatement program on Thursday, May 16, which is much earlier than usual.

Mayor Chris Brown and Public Works Director Mike Day agreed to start spraying on May 16 because conditions for mosquitos to breed have been idea due to the warm temperatures and rain.

“We can all help by looking around our yards and making sure there is no standing water in trash cans, flowerpots, bird baths, outdoor furniture or anything else that can hold water,” Brown said.

Morris Public Works will operate a mosquito fogger to eliminate as many mosquitos as possible.

The city said in a Tuesday news release that mosquitos need standing water to complete their lifecycle. They lay their eggs in still water and they go from egg to biting adult in as little as five days, and it’s important to check regularly for standing water in and around the home. Residents should dump out any standing water they find.

The schedule for spraying in Morris is broken into three sections: north, south, and middle. The south portion is comprised of the area south of the railroad tracks and extending west to include Hatcher’s Woods. This area is sprayed on Sunday nights. The middle route is the area north of the railroad tracks to West Route 6. The middle route is sprayed on Thursday nights. Finally, the north route is everything north of West Route 6 to Gore Road. This route is fogged on Tuesday nights. If there is a chance for rain or windy conditions, the scheduled person will usually fog the night before or after the regularly scheduled evening. Any changes to the schedule through the summer will be added to the City of Morris website and Facebook page.