By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

“It’s a huge thing to try and tackle, and there is no easy solution,” according to Jeff Boyle, director of the Hays Parks Department.

His crew has been battling a mosquito problem this summer thanks to more rain than usual.

The city does not “fog” for mosquitoes, a chemical spray process considered to be “unsatisfactory for the most part,” Boyle said.

Instead, his crews treat areas of standing water with chemical briquets, designed to kill mosquitoes in the larvae stage. But the city only treats areas on public property such as the draws on Skyline Drive and Canal Boulevard.

“There’s likely more standing water on private property in Hays, and residents need to get rid of that,” encouraged Boyle:

“Buckets of water sitting around in your yard, tire swings, plugged rain gutters, old marine tarps on the ground with water caught in the folds are all examples of where mosquitoes can lay their eggs. Look around for these things. By emptying the water out, you’ll help control the mosquito population in Hays.”

Hays received an official 0.30 inches of rain overnight Wednesday. The weather forecast calls for a chance of additional showers late Thursday, continuing into Friday morning.