From now through the rest of summer, the City of Perry will be spraying for mosquitoes every Thursday evening, but they remind residents to do their part to curb the pest problem.

Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, but as long as citizens drain that water regularly, it should help prevent the larvae from hatching. During particularly wet weather, the City advises residents to check for standing water at least once a week in places such as planters, buckets, barrels, gutters, tires, and other locations it may collect. If there are spots that can’t be drained and people notice water collecting, they are encouraged to reach out to the Perry Street Department at 515-465-2675. Crews can treat the standing water with a chemical that will keep mosquito larvae from maturing.

As far as spraying is concerned, the City will be out each Thursday, weather permitting. If it rains on a Thursday, crews will spray on Friday or Saturday evening. While they’ve seen positive results from mosquito spraying in the past, the City emphasizes that there’s no way to eliminate the pest entirely. With that in mind, the City recommends wearing repellent whenever outside, particularly in the early morning and cool of the evening, when mosquitoes are most active.

Anyone with questions is encouraged to call Perry City Hall at 515-465-2481.