Planes were set to spray for mosquitoes from 8 p.m. to dawn on four nights from Oct. 22, mostly south and east of Kissimmee. The county announced no change before October ended.

Low-flying planes will spray for mosquitoes across much of Osceola County starting Thursday night. The spraying runs from 8 p.m. until dawn on four days, beginning Thursday, Oct. 22, Osceola County said in a news release Friday.

Updated Oct. 31: October has ended, and the county never announced a change to the schedule or named alternate dates. Its release still gives the four days from Oct. 22. To report heavy mosquito activity, contact Osceola County Mosquito Control.

Updated Oct. 25: The county has not announced any change to the schedule or named alternate dates. Its release and its mosquito control page still give the four days from Oct. 22.

The Osceola County Board of County Commissioners authorized Osceola County Mosquito Control to hire a contractor for the work. The county said it acted after recent heavy rain, with a front expected to bring more. It also pointed to the Florida Department of Health’s reports of more locally transmitted mosquito-borne illness in Central Florida.

District 3 Commissioner Brandon Arrington, chairman of the board, said the county is “taking proactive steps to reduce mosquito populations and help protect our community.”

Where the planes will fly

The release calls the spraying countywide. The county’s treatment area map shows the zones mostly in unincorporated areas:

  • along the west and east shores of Lake Tohopekaliga, south of downtown Kissimmee
  • around St. Cloud, about nine miles east, and the lakes east of it
  • in the Four Corners area along U.S. 192 near the Polk County line
  • in rural zones farther south and east, toward Holopaw, Kenansville and Yeehaw Junction

Central Kissimmee is not shaded on the map. Zones named on the map include Neptune, Fortune, Kissimmee Park, Pleasant Hill East and West, Poinciana Boulevard, Cross Prairie and Canoe Creek. Check the map for your street before Thursday.

When

  • Start: Thursday, Oct. 22
  • Hours: 8 p.m. until dawn the next morning
  • Length: four days
  • Bad weather: the county said treatments will move to other dates in October, in the same hours, if conditions prevent spraying. It has not named those dates.

The county said the spraying follows U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommendations. It is done at night to limit the risk to pollinators that fly by day.

Spraying by truck and ground-based larvicide treatments will continue as weather allows. The county said it does not treat in rain or when wind is above 10 mph.

What it means for you

You do not need to do anything for the planes. The county asked people to cut down on mosquitoes around their own homes:

  • drain standing water from containers, gutters and anything else that holds it
  • empty and flush birdbaths at least every three days
  • clear brush and debris, and pull aquatic weeds from ponds
  • wear long sleeves and long pants, preferably light-colored
  • use an EPA-registered repellent with DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus, and follow the label, including its age guidance
  • limit time outdoors around dusk and dawn

Beekeepers and hobbyists with concerns can call Osceola County Mosquito Control at 407-742-0505. The same number takes service requests: give your name, phone number and address, and staff will inspect and decide on treatment.

For other county services and who to call, see our guide to who to call at City Hall. For outdoor plans this week, our things to do page lists evening events.