JUST like in the movies, Bermuda now has its very own search and destroy team. That's right - Vector Control, located on Point Finger Road, has devised a targeted programme that focuses on locating and eliminating mosquito problems throughout the island.

By using a system of hundreds of mosquito egg-trapping devices strategically positioned all over Bermuda, Ross Furbert, supervisory foreman at Vector Control and his crew can identify problem areas and pinpoint the source of the problem as close as 100 yards away and eliminate it.

"I think we here at Vector Control agree that no other country has a surveillance system and search and destroy programme like that of Bermuda," said Graham Vanderpool, West End District General Foreman.

The egg-trapping devices, called Ovi traps, are simple but ingenious. The trap, a brown plastic bottle, similar to vitamin bottle, is filled with water, holds a strip of hard cardboard, called a paddle, where mosquitoes lay their eggs.

The traps are distributed and collected every week and the paddles are examined under a microscope to count the number of mosquito eggs. The data is then inputted into a computer programme, which generates a geographical map of Bermuda that clearly indicates where there is a proliferation of mosquitoes.

Since standing still water is the location where mosquitoes breed and lay their eggs, the traps will reveal if there is source in the area that needs to be dealt with.

"We have to take away the breeding areas of mosquitoes," explained Mr. Furbert. "If we take away their habitat and sources of water then they can't continue to breed. That's why we ask people to make sure they monitor their property and take away any standing water or anything that is going to allow them to breed."

Mr. Furbert and his team are speaking out this July, Mosquito Awareness Month, to remind the public of the importance of being vigilant about mosquito-proofing their property.

"Mosquitoes tend to spread when the public lets their guard down. That's why we have Mosquito Awareness Month to get the public back on track to give everyone a reminder so that they can carry on their monitoring throughout the year. While it's human nature for other things to become priority, every year we need to take the time to remind people of the importance of monitoring their property," he said.

Vector Control has identified five types of mosquitoes here in Bermuda, including two "salt marsh" mosquitoes that are found in marsh and swamp areas, the Culex and two Aedes species. Mosquitoes, like rats, are considered "vectors", which means "carrier", its Latin root meaning "bearer".

According to Mr. Furbert, all mosquitoes have the capacity to carry and transmit several harmful diseases like malaria, encephalitis, yellow fever and dengue fever. While these diseases have not reached the shores of Bermuda, that doesn't mean that we are out of danger.

"Mosquitoes are all capable of carrying different diseases but some actually carry specific diseases more than others. Bermuda seems to eventually get everything certain countries like the United States has. And in the Caribbean some of the things (diseases transmitted through mosquitoes) usually gravitate to Bermuda so there's usually a very good chance that if those countries have a disease transmitted via mosquitoes, it'll come here. That's why we have the programmes in place where we try to educate the public about mosquitoes. We know the mosquitoes are here and education about controlling them is very important."

Pet owners also have to be more vigilant these days because mosquitoes also transmit heartworm, a parasitic roundworm that lives and affects the heart of its host, which is a new condition that has just recently started showing up in Bermuda's dogs, cats and other pet animals.

Female mosquitoes can lay up to 300 to 400 eggs per adult and according to Mr. Furbert if you estimate that half of those larvae are female you can end up with millions of mosquitoes very quickly. And they don't need a large pool to breed in either.

"Mosquitoes can breed in just one ounce of water. Even a crash helmet that has been thrown in the bushes and collected rain water can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes," he said.

Common items Mr. Furbert and his team see on properties are the trays underneath potted plants, buckets, bird bathes, children's toys, dog dishes, trash cans, uncovered tires, watering cans, tarps that have been laid over minor construction projects that collect water and even water tanks.

"We had a situation where we found mosquitoes in someone's water tank," explained Mr. Furbert. All tanks have an overflow so when the tank is full the water can run out and if the overflow pipes aren't screened properly mosquitoes can go right into your water. It's ideal for mosquitoes. It's a cool, shaded area and that's like the calling card for the Aedes (genus of mosquitoes), you're rolling out the welcome mat for them.

"All you need to do is cut some wire mesh and cover the overflow opening. It's also protects against rodents getting into your tank. They love water as much as they love food. They need it to survive so they will get into your tank as well."

According to Mr. Furbert there are other very effective ways to control the proliferation of mosquitoes.

"We have Gambusia, a type of fish that eat the larvae of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes come and lay their eggs on the water and after a period of time, the eggs will hatch out into larvae and the Gambusia will eat the larvae and sometimes they will even get the female who sits on top of the water. They are very effective. They are one of the best methods that we have in combating mosquito larvae," he said.

"We also recommend for people who have fish or turtle ponds to come down and pick up some Gambusia."

Widespread spraying of pesticides is not an option for Vector Control as Mr. Furbert explained.

"For obvious reasons, we don't. We catch our water off our rooftops so we wouldn't use any pesticides in our environments that can get into our water tanks. Not only that but also the ground water, if we contaminate that then we will have a problem as well because we use that water for other purposes like irrigation and the like. So imagine if the water becomes contaminated and then it gets sprayed onto your vegetables. We don't like to do that type of thing."

Instead Vector Control takes a different approach to battling the winged vectors. "We have two sides of our work here - the proactive side and the reactive side. On the proactive side especially during the cooler months, we go out and try to find mosquito sources and eliminate them before the warmer months begin. From December to April, we visit every premise in Bermuda and during that period we try and find any sources that may be a threat during the peak season. Now as we get into the warmer months we become more reactionary as we receive more complaints from the public and we deal with what we find on our Ovi trap paddles," said Mr. Furbert.

While the high mosquito season is May through October, mosquitoes don't take the winter months off.

"Even though we don't have as many reports from the public about mosquitoes in the winter, when we go out on our proactive searches during the winter months, we find them," he said.

So what can you do to make sure your home is mosquito-proof? Al Thomas, General Foreman of the East End District suggests the "7 D's".

DRAIN any standing water that may proliferate breeding grounds

DAWN AND DUSK are times to avoid. These are the times when mosquitoes are most active

DRESS appropriately by wearing long sleeves and pants when out

DEFEND yourself against mosquitoes by using an effective insect repellant, such as DEET, Picaridin or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus

DOOR and window screens should be in good working condition and will prevent mosquitoes from entering your home

DISTRICT personnel are available to address any mosquito problem you may be experiencing by calling 441-278-4998.

Mr. Furbert believes that Bermuda is doing its part to keep mosquitoes at bay but that it's the public's responsibility to monitor their own property and to remember that any amount of standing water is dangerous no matter how much or how little it may be.

"If water is just sitting there, people have to be aware that mosquitoes are most likely to breed there," he said.