Why you won't notice mosquitoes at Disney World
You may have gone to Disney World on a hot day in the middle of summer and thought to yourself: how is it that there are no mosquitos in the park, despite being in the middle of humid Florida? It's no secret that Florida is home to a lot of the flying pests, so Disney World's ability to keep them out might be a mystery to you. The simple yet effective solution is ingenious. Here's why there are no mosquitos at Disney World.
Why There Are No Mosquitos at Disney World
It all starts with Walt Disney meeting a man named William "Joe" Porter. Back in 1964 during the World's Fair, Walt Disney met Joe who explained his experience with getting rid of the pests. Joe Potter was an engineering expert who had worked as the governor of the Panama Canal Zone and had gained a lot of knowledge when it came to mosquitos' habits. Walt Disney then hired Joe Potter to eliminate mosquitos - and keep them out.
Joe's plan started simple: mosquitos hate moving water. Joe eliminated all the swampland in the surrounding area, standing water zones where mosquitos love to lay their eggs. By getting rid of the standing water in the area, Joe Potter managed to keep mosquitos from showing up in the area. But in order to prevent mosquitos from breeding inside Disney World, all water is in motion - fountains, waterfalls and more all keep mosquitos from breeding.
Traps and Architectural Ingenuity
Beyond making sure there was no standing water in or around the park, the Mosquito Surveillance Program (MSP) also placed carbon dioxide mosquito traps around the park. Mosquitos are drawn to carbon dioxide, which the MSP used to their advantage - trapping the insects and eliminating them.
Disney World is also cleverly designed to avoid standing water from accumulating - keeping mosquitos from showing up after rainfall. Every building in Disney World is curved, which keeps rainfall from accumulating. Thousands of plants, trees and flowers in the park prevent water from building up in the soil as well, and ponds in the park host fish that love to eat mosquito larvae.
As it turns out, Joe Potter and the MSP's mosquito solutions are ones we can all learn from. By eliminating standing water and keeping plants that repel mosquitos and keep our yards dry, we can prevent mosquitos from breeding on our property too. All it takes is a little ingenuity.
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