August 19, 2002
Ben Hill County- The West Nile Virus is blamed for two more deaths in the South. That brings the total to more than a dozen this year. The deadly disease is carried by mosquitoes but there are ways you can help prevent it.
At Dixieland Farms and Nursery, virtually everything is for sale, except the one thing that everyone seems to want these days. And they just got a shipment of 5,000.
They're gambusia minnows, better known as mosquito fish, because they feed on the larvae of mosquitoes that grow in almost any form of water.
"Decided we'd give away some as a customer relation thing, help out with the West Nile Virus." West Nile, carried by mosquitoes, claiming more than a dozen victims so far this year in the Southeast, mostly in Louisiana. standup- so far here in SOuth Georgia, West Nile has been in found in birds but not Humans, and DixieLand farms is doing they're best to keep it that way.
So Miss McDonald keeps busy scooping bags full of the mosquito fish for her customers. and For people who have water anywhere near their home, even in ditches and puddles where the fish can often be found, the mosquto fish are a real blessing, if not to prevent disease, at least to cut down on the pesky bites.
The mosquito fish giveaway in Ben Hill County continues while supplies last. The fish are being shipped from Holyoke's Fish Hatchery in Alapaha. If you put the minnows in a lake or pond with bigger fish, you need to make sure there's vegetation, or the mosquito fish will likely be eaten by the bigger fish that are alreadt there.
To order some of the fish, call DixieLand Farms and Nursery at (229) 423-7508.
posted at 4:57 PM by dave.miller@walb.com
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 Worldnow and WALB, a Raycom Media Station. 
