NATCHEZ &045; Both Natchez and Adams County governments are preparing to take aim at this year’s mosquito population.

For the most part, city Public Works Director Richard Burke plans to place larvicide in places mosquitoes are likely to breed, such as standing water.

&uot;I’m not one to spray every street in Natchez, because the chemicals themselves are so expensive&uot; and because larvicide is more effective, said Burke, whose department has $25,000 set aside this fiscal year for mosquito control.

But Burke has also ordered truck-mounted and handheld adulticide sprayers and mosquito traps at a cost of $12,000.

And he will attend a state-sponsored mosquito control workshop next week so he can become certified to purchase the pesticides themselves.

As they did last year, Adams County Road Department personnel will make larvicide packets available to local residents.

That program will start about a week from now, depending on when mosquitoes start to breed in earnest, said Road Manager Bobby Powell.

A more specific starting date will be publicized as soon as possible, he said.

Larvicide packets will be distributed at the county’s Road Department headquarters on Liberty Road as well as satellite facilities at 106 Liberty Road, 176 Foster Mound Road and Majorca Road.

Some spraying of adulticide will take place in areas with the greatest evidence of mosquitoes, Powell said.

And although a date has not yet been set, Waste Management has agreed to set aside a day to pick up waste tires and other debris that can collect water where mosquitoes can breed, Powell said.

The Road Department has $14,000 budgeted for mosquito control for this fiscal year, &uot;but if we need to, we’ll have to cut in another area to pay for (more measures),&uot; Powell said. &uot;It’s our responsibility to do this.&uot;