FAQ

• Rats
• Mosquitoes
• West Nile Virus
• Red Imported Red Imported Fire Ants
• Ticks
• Identify Bugs
• Bees, Gophers, Opossums, Raccoons & Snake
• About the District
• Can't Find What You Were Looking For?

 

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RATS

Q: Can you remove the live/dead rat/animal from inside/under my house? Who can?
A: OCVCD is not licensed to work inside any structure and this includes the removal of dead animals. We recommend that you remove the carcass like you would clean up after your dog: use two plastic bags, place your hand in the bags like a glove, pick up the carcass with the bags, invert the bags or turn bags inside out, tie a knot at the end of the bags, and dispose of the carcass in a trash container with a secure lid.

You can contact Orange County Animal Control at (714) 935-6848 and they will pick up the dead animal. However, they do not pick up dead rats.

Q: Do you test dead rodents for diseases?
A: We do in-house testing of rodents we have collected on our own throughout the County.

Q: Do you set traps?
A: No, we don't set traps because setting traps may require daily attention and we have a limited number of inspectors.

Q: What else can I do to get rid of the rat instead of killing it?
A: You can use a live trap to capture the rat, but you would still need to dispose of it. There is no place to appropriately dispose of a captured roof rat.

Q: Do you treat in common areas? Who can?
A: We do not treat in common areas because of liability concerns. You should contact the city or the owner of the common area.

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MOSQUITOES

Q: Why don't you get rid of standing water in flood channels instead of just treating it?
A: OCVCD does not have the equipment to clear and restore free flow to flood channels. You need to contact your city or Flood Control.

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WEST NILE VIRUS

Q: I do not hear very much about West Nile virus (WNV) any more, has the threat passed?
A: While no longer front page news, West Nile virus remains a serious threat. Some of the credit for the reduction is surely due to the behavioral changes made by the public. The simple steps known to reduce the chances of becoming a WNV victim have done just that. Rather than treating the decline in WNV activity as a signal for the public to relax their vigilance, it should be taken as validation of the effectiveness of those efforts. People should still follow the advice the District has been giving since its founding: eliminate standing water, make sure screens are in good repair (and installed), and wear repellent (follow all label directions), when outside during periods of mosquito activity.

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RED IMPORTED Red Imported Fire Ants

Q: How many treatments will my property need for Red Imported Red Imported Fire Ants?
A: It takes 3 to 4 visits for a complete treatment cycle.

Q: Last week you treated my property for Red Imported Red Imported Fire Ants, why aren't they gone?
A: The treatment protocol calls for 3-4 applications of a relatively slow acting material designed to kill ant colonies, not individual ants. If there are ants after a fourth treatment, we will repeat the treatment cycle until they are gone.

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TICKS

Q: Do you test ticks for Lyme disease?
A: We test the black legged tick, the only one in the County that is a possible vector of Lyme Disease. For more information on ticks click here.

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IDENTIFY BUGS

Q: Can you identify bugs over the phone or by photo?
A: No, we can not identify bugs over the phone or by photo. It is sometimes difficult to accurately describe the bug over the phone or to identify the bug by photo. We do not want to misidentify the bug and therefore only accept intact bugs that are given to us in person or mailed to us. A insect identification form can be obtained from our web site.

The following are a list of helpful public websites that serve as insect guides. OCVCD does not take responsibility for any of the information listed on the websites.

http://www.whatsthatbug.com
http://www.einsteins-emporium.com/life/animal-info/insects/insect_identification.htm
http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740

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BEES, GOPHERS, OPOSSUMS, RACCOONS & SNAKES

Q: Does Vector Control handle bees, especially with the risk of them being Africanized?
A: OCVCD does not handle bees because we are not trained or equipped to do so.

Q: Why doesn't OCVCD do anything about other pests like opossums, raccoons, gophers, bees or snakes?
A: While these animals are certainly capable of becoming pests, they are not considered vectors. They are best dealt with by private pest control companies and local animal control agencies.

 

VERTEBRATE PEST CONTROL

Raccoons
Opossums
Gophers

Contact your local pest control company.

 

BEES

Contact your local pest control company or bee removal company.

 

ANIMAL CONTROL

Any stray, found, injured or dead animal:

http://www.ocpetinfo.com/