Girl Scout Gold Award Awarded To Reston Teen For Mosquito Vector Control

Julia Cartwright is working to help protect Reston from mosquito bites as a part of her Girl Scout Gold Award. Julia Cartwright, 16, of Reston, 10th grader at Herndon High, has been giving mosquito vector control presentations in Reston and Northern Virginia on how to reduce mosquito populations and avoid mosquito bites along with erecting blue bird houses at select locations in Reston. She also has mosquito prevention brochures as well as mosquito dunks to put in any standing water you have on your property that you can’t remove yourself.
Julia Cartwright's Mosquito Vector Control Presentation and distribution of educational material, Aug. 25, 2019
According to Reston Connection, "The mosquito that is numerous in Reston is the Asian Tiger mosquito. It is a very small mosquito that has white bands on its legs. Like all mosquitoes, Asian tiger mosquitoes are dangerous. A fast-moving, very aggressive biter, this type of mosquito comes out during the daytime to feed and has the ability to carry and transmit many dangerous pathogens including the West Nile virus, the Chikungunya virus, encephalomyelitis, dengue fever, yellow fever, and dog heartworm." As per Reston Connection, "You can help prevent an infestation of mosquitoes by doing the following.
  • Make sure there is no standing water on or around your property. After a rain, make sure there is no container with standing water in it. Mosquitoes can breed in containers as small as a bottle cap.
  • Cover up your lower legs and feet. Although the Asian Tiger will bite anywhere on your body, it prefers your lower legs and feet. Did you know that if a mosquito bites you, you have provided the blood meal the mosquito needs to produce 300 more mosquitos?
  • Use mosquito repellents that have DEET in them."

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Maryam N. is a Senior Writer at Nesbitt Realty. She is an expert on Fairfax County. Maryam has also worked previously as a geologist. She is a foodie and enjoys cooking and exploring new restaurants.