Insects/Arthropods and Arboviruses
The Rabies, Disease & Vector Control Program is part of the Erie County Department of Health Environmental Health Division. This program is responsible for enforcement, education and other disease prevention activities, including investigating complaints about standing water, untreated swimming pools, and other containers that hold water and create places for mosquitoes to breed.
The Erie County Department of Health does not make inspections or exterminate for any type of insects or other pests except for rodents/rats. If extermination is needed, you or the property owners should hire a licensed professional exterminator, also called Pesticide Applicator, to get rid of the problem. The NY State Department of Environmental Conservation operates the certification program for Pesticide Applicators. See this list of certified pesticide applicators in NY State.
Contact
Division of Environmental Health
ECDOH Building
503 Kensington Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14214
Map of Campus
Phone: 716-961-6800 (For Emergencies after regular business hours: 716-961-7898)
Fax: 716-961-6880
Report Standing Water
To report swimming pools that are not maintained, and other standing water, call the ECDOH at (716) 961-6800.
Terms to Know
Arbovirus: Arbovirus are viruses spread by bloodsucking arthropods like ticks, mosquitoes, and other insects.
Arthropod: an organism that has jointed appendages and segmented external skeleton, such as mosquitoes, ticks and fleas. Think "insects."
Vector: A vector is an organism which spreads diseases from one host to another. Examples of vectors are mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.