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The Westchester County Health Department will be giving away fathead minnows at the county airport. Residents can put the minnows in their ornamental ponds to prevent them from becoming breeding grounds for mosquitoes that carry West Nile Virus.
"Our minnow giveaway was a success - residents loved the idea of using a natural predator to reduce the mosquito population, and we gave away all 100 pounds of minnows to about 150 people," said Health Commissioner Sherlita Amler. "I hope everyone with a pond will take advantage of this second chance to acquire minnows and help us reduce the mosquito population."
Culex pipiens, the species of mosquito that can be a carrier of West Nile Virus, breeds in standing water such as ponds and containers. The minnows are non-invasive and feed on mosquito larvae and pupae before they emerge into adult mosquitoes. They should be released in ponds that have a minimum of eight to 12 inches of water.
The bags of minnows will be available at the county airport in Harrison from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
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