Now the extent of the effect of foreclosed homes can also be measured by mosquito control professionals, entomologists and mosquito fish producers through the number of ditched pools that they treat with mosquito fish and other kinds of remedies.
The number of abandoned pools covered by algae and hosting mosquitoes is increasing across the country as the number of foreclosed for sale continues to increase.
In Phoenix, the number of deserted pools has risen to over 9,100 in 2008 from 6,000 in 2007, according to John Townsend, manager of the Maricopa County Vector Control. Townsend the number could increase to 14,000 if the number of foreclosed homes continues to rise.
In New Orleans, Greg Thompson, an entomologist working for the New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board, said abandoned ponds and swimming pools became mosquito breeding pools after Hurricane Katrina inundated the city and demolished over 100,000 houses in 2005.
Thompson said the swimming pools cannot be drained enough to make them so dry no mosquito egg can survive. The pools would always have water either from the rain or from the ground.
The rising number of foreclosed homes has worsened the situation. Cities across the nation struggle to look for solutions to mosquito and blight problems arising from deserted swimming pools.
Last month in New Orleans, Thompson held a session for about 50 of the 900 professionals who attended the meeting of the American Mosquito Control Association.
In Los Angeles County, the number of ditched pools that need to be treated rose by 40 percent in 2008 from 2007 levels because of the rising number of abandoned foreclosed homes.
In March this year, the Los Angeles Vector Control District treated 364 swimming pools and received 202 requests for mosquito treatment, compared to 162 pool treatments and 58 requests in March two years ago and 481 pools treated and 216 requests in March 2008.
In Fairfax County, Virginia, there are about 11,000 backyard swimming pools, according to the county's West Nile virus project manager Jorge Arias. He said about 2,000 of the pools were in foreclosed homes.
In Lee County, Florida, mosquito control manager James Burgess uses helicopters to find deserted swimming pools.
Meanwhile, mosquito fish farmers and dealers said sales were rising, but not as fast as others think. Mosquito fish reproduce quickly, so once pools are seeded with the fish, they do not need replenishment.
