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WESTCHESTER, N.Y. – Westchester residents can pick up free live fathead minnows Friday and Saturday as a new attempt to prevent their ornamental ponds from becoming breeding grounds for mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus.
The minnow program is being run by the Westchester Health Department as part of its West Nile prevention efforts that started this month. Minnows reduce the mosquito population because they feed on mosquito larvae and pupae before they have the chance to emerge into adult mosquitoes, county officials said.
The minnows can be released into ponds that have at least 8 to 12 inches of water.
Westchester County has 100 pounds of fathead minnows to distribute from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. They can be picked up at 2 Look Road, Building One, at Westchester County Airport.
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