Levy County Mosquito Control
Independent Vector Information & Public Health Network
Scrap Tire Disposal & Amnesty Days
Abandoned and improperly stored scrap tires represent the single most dangerous artificial breeding ground for the Aedes aegypti (Dengue/Zika) and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in Levy County. To combat this severe public health hazard, the county facilitates periodic Tire Amnesty Days, allowing residents to dispose of scrap rubber safely and legally without standard landfill dumping fees.
The “Perfect Incubator” Phenomenon
Why are tires so heavily targeted by vector control agencies? A discarded tire is not just a water receptacle; it is an engineered micro-climate that perfectly accelerates the mosquito gestation cycle.
Black rubber absorbs and retains solar radiation. This artificially warms the standing water inside, speeding up the larval development cycle from 10 days to as few as 5 days.
The internal rim cavity traps water at the bottom while shielding it from direct wind and sun. Even during brief Florida droughts, the interior of a tire rarely dries out completely.
Natural mosquito predators (like fish, frogs, and dragonfly nymphs) cannot access the deep recesses of a stacked tire pile, allowing larvae to hatch entirely unhindered.
County Tire Amnesty Events
In coordination with the Levy County Solid Waste Department, free tire disposal events are typically held bi-annually (Spring and Fall) at the central Bronson Landfill facility.
- Eligibility: Open strictly to Levy County residents (proof of residency, such as a utility bill or ID, is required).
- Limits: Maximum of 10 to 12 passenger or light truck tires per household.
- Exclusions: Commercial entities, mechanic shops, and agricultural heavy-equipment tires (tractor tires) are not eligible for the free amnesty program and are subject to standard tonnage fees.
Because amnesty event dates fluctuate based on state grant funding and landfill capacity, please contact the Levy County Solid Waste facility directly or call the LCMN Public Information Desk (352-486-5127) to confirm the next scheduled drop-off weekend.
Interim Tire Management Protocols
If you are storing tires on your property while waiting for an amnesty event or commercial disposal, you must actively prevent them from breeding vector mosquitoes. Failure to do so constitutes a public health nuisance.
- Indoor Storage: Move tires inside a garage, shed, or covered barn.
- Tarps: If stored outside, stack tires securely and cover them with a heavy-duty tarp. Ensure the tarp is pulled tight so water does not pool in the folds of the plastic.
- Drill Drainage Holes: If tires are being repurposed (e.g., as tire swings or retaining walls), you must drill large drainage holes directly through the bottom of the casing to prevent water retention.
- Larvicide Application: If tires cannot be covered or drilled, apply a biological Bti larvicide (Mosquito Dunks) to the center cavity of each tire every 30 days.
Levy County Mosquito Control Information Network
Dedicated to Public Health & Environmental Stewardship in the Gulf Coast Region.