Gloucester’s mosquito control program plans to begin applying larvicide to kill mosquitoes this week or next, director Jim Diggs said, and will probably be spraying for the winged pests in May or June.

Because of the unusually mild winter, Diggs said he is uncertain what the mosquito population will be like this spring and summer. He said the area has perhaps two dozen or more saltwater and freshwater varieties.

Besides Gloucester’s efforts for mosquito control in certain designated areas where residents pay an ad valorem tax for the service, Diggs said residents throughout the county can take steps to help curb the mosquito population. The biggest problem is standing water, so residents should clean their gutters, empty buckets and tires, and regularly change water bowls left in the yard for pets, Diggs said.

These measures, plus the county’s efforts, can really make a difference, he said.

In the mosquito control zones, residents must fill out a permission...