HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Hillsborough County is hosting a free mosquito control event in Lithia on Saturday.

The event is part of a monthly schedule that allows homeowners to pick up free mosquito-eating fish to help control the mosquito population on their property.

Hillsborough County Mosquito Control says there is more standing water in the area in the wake of Hurricane Debby, and if not managed, it could help fuel a boom in the mosquito population.

Forty mosquito species that can carry various diseases are in the Tampa Bay area.

Paolo Percora is an environmental scientist with Hillsborough County. (Spectrum News/Chris McDonald)

Paolo Percora is an environmental scientist with Hillsborough County and shared the best places homeowners can use mosquito-eating fish.

“There’s a lot of different environments and habitats we ask the citizens of Hillsborough County to stock their fish in,” Pecora said. “Water mitigation areas, water holding areas, retention ponds, stormwater basins, livestock troughs, unused swimming pools, water gardens, small fish ponds, small lakes and ponds where these fish can breed and be effective.”

The event runs from 8 a.m. to noon on Aug. 10 at the FishHawk Sports Complex in Lithia.

For more information on the event, visit https://hcfl.gov/events/mosquitofish-giveaway/2024/08/10/blt44134e0a8c1b1aa3.