The Sting of Foreclosure: Fish to Rescue
Interestingly, an increase in foreclosures has led to a mosquito heyday in parts of the country. Abandoned swimming pools have become spa meccas for the water-loving pest.
The case is especially bad in California’s Contra Costa County. A spokesperson told a local KTVU News reporter that in 2006, the county’s Mosquito and Vector Control spent only 1% of its time responding to abandoned pool mosquito problems; however, in 2007, the time invested in investigating and treating abandoned pools jumped to more than 50%.
The California county typically responds to the mosquito threat with pesticides, but communities have discovered another way to combat the problem: Nemo.
Actually, the fish's proper name is Gambusia affinis, a 2-inch mosquito-killing machine. The fish can eat 100-500 mosquito larvae per day and are available for anyone to purchase.