Ahead of summer, Israel’s Environment Ministry is urging the public to take simple preventive steps to reduce the spread of mosquitoes, sand flies, rats, cockroaches and flies. The ministry said the combination of heat and humidity can sharply increase pest activity, but many problems can be avoided with basic action around homes, yards and public areas.
Dr. Shay Reicher, head of the ministry’s Pests and Pest Control Division, said rising temperatures and humidity “bring a significant increase in the activity of sanitation pests.” He warned that these pests can be a nuisance, can transmit disease to humans and can damage property. In his words, the risk can be reduced “in most cases” through straightforward prevention, including drying standing water, keeping the surroundings clean, and storing waste and food properly. He also said cooperation between local authorities and the public is central to reducing hazards and protecting public health.
As part of the seasonal preparation, the ministry has already sent professional guidance to all local and regional councils on prevention, monitoring and treatment of pest problems. The ministry said early treatment of breeding sources is the most effective way to reduce environmental and health risks. For mosquitoes, it recommends draining standing water in containers, planters, buckets, gutters, saucers and water reservoirs, fixing leaks, installing screens on windows and doors, and using repellents, long light-colored clothing and bed nets when sleeping outdoors.
To limit rats, cockroaches and flies, the ministry advises keeping living areas clean, storing food in closed containers, putting garbage only in sealed bins, removing organic waste regularly, and trimming uncontrolled vegetation and removing cuttings. It noted that mosquitoes can spread West Nile fever, sand flies can transmit leishmaniasis, rats can spread murine typhus, and flies and cockroaches can carry diseases linked to poor sanitation.
