WNV has been reported in Georgia for the first time of the year. “These cases reinforce the need for all of us to be vigilant in applying preventive measures to help control mosquito breeding” Exclaimed Chris Hutcheson, with the Center of Environmental Health. If you are concerned about west Nile virus and mosquitoes consider the Bug Busters USA mosquito control program for your family.
Archive for the ‘Mosquito Control’ Category
WNV has been reported in Georgia
Wednesday, August 1st, 2012
Foreclosures Can Make Mosquito Problem Worse
Monday, April 30th, 2012Tennessean.com: Foreclosures Can Make Mosquito Problem Worse
Homes abandoned to foreclosures have given rise to an unexpected side effect that will only get worse this summer: stagnant swimming pools and overgrown yards transforming into mosquito breeding grounds.
This year, early-season heat and rain could combine with predictions of an uptick in foreclosures to create the “buggy summer” officials dread. Already, the weather likely has allowed for an additional generation of mosquitoes to take flight, said Metro Public Health Department managers.
Metro’s pest control division – a team of two – checks known breeding areas in the winter to kill as many mosquito larvae as possible. It’s the best way to keep the population down and decrease the threat of West Nile virus, and it allows staffers to be ready to respond to called-in resident complaints, which rise along with temperatures, said Larry Cole, pest management director.
Concerns about foreclosed homes put officials in a tricky situation. When calls come during the winter, officials try to track down property owners to ask that they be mindful of eliminating standing water. But it takes time to find owners.
And, as Cole says, “those mosquitoes are not going to wait.”
So if it’s already mosquito season, Metro acts as fast as possible, dropping larvicide bricks or grains into abandoned pools. “We’re going to larvicide because it’s a health issue,” Cole said.
On his rounds last week, pest control staffer John Pico responded to resident complaints across the eastern half of Davidson County. One of the pink slips of paper he held was a note about standing water in a pool on Jacksonian Drive in Hermitage.
At the tree-shaded white ranch-style home, Pico looked over the back gate, eyeing the pool, unsure whether it held water.
He knocked on the front door – no answer – and grabbed a pole from his truck. At its end hung a simple plastic cup to dip into the water to check for larvae. He slipped through the side gate, noting that he’d already whistled: “No dog came,” he said.
Around back, Pico eyed the pool, which was full of scuzzy green water. From the dilapidated red wooden deck, he spotted another concern: a fish pond.
The water there was a brighter green but hosted only a few mosquito larvae. Pico tossed in some larvicide and moved on to the next threat: a debris-covered hot tub. Before leaving, he’d also looked at water puddled on a camper trailer and inside a tire.
Vigilance needed
Mosquitoes typically lay eggs in stagnant water – any temporary puddle could work if it remains for a week or more. Larvae emerge from eggs into the water, where larvicide can kill them. The larvicides, generally nontoxic to human touch, are used under Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.
Veterans such as Pico and Cole say abandoned pools draw the most complaints from neighbors but don’t always house the most mosquitoes. Cole remembers repeat calls to Antioch for complaints about rampant mosquitoes near an abandoned home.
But the pool wasn’t the culprit.
“It was a little pie pan that was there in the sun,” Cole said. “You couldn’t even see the water because of all the larvae in there.”
In La Vergne and Murfreesboro, which have seen some of Middle Tennessee’s highest rates of foreclosure, officials typically begin their responses to nuisance property complaints by mailing maintenance notices to owners. As in Metro, officials try to avoid spending staff time and supplies on properties where they might not be repaid.
“We want to be good stewards of taxpayers’ money,” said Gary Whitaker, chief building official in Murfreesboro.
In recent years, Whitaker has been able to shift the duties of his staff away from permitting requests, which have decreased, and toward property maintenance complaints.
But officials can do only so much. In La Vergne, for example, a single codes enforcement officer handles a wide range of complaints. And longer mosquito breeding seasons can outlast the most potent larvicides, which last 90 days.
So officials depend on homeowners’ vigilance to eliminate standing water.
Pico said common-sense actions make a difference: flipping over dog bowls and other containers, pulling tarps taut and keeping pond water in motion.
Where there’s no one to tend to such things, neighbors should call to file complaints, Pico said. Experience has taught him that those are almost guaranteed, once it gets hot.
“It keeps you busy,” Pico said. “You’ve got job security.”
Mosquito Control
Tuesday, April 24th, 2012
Mosquito Control
Wednesday, April 11th, 2012Take Back Your Yard This Summer. Call us if Mosquitoes are Bugging you. 1-800-210-6262
— at Atlanta .
Mosquitoes Have Spraying Companies Taking Different Approach
Monday, April 9th, 2012WECT.com (Wilmington, NC): Mosquitoes Have Spraying Companies Taking Different Approach
WILMINGTON, NC – The streak of recent warm weather in the area has many in good moods – but it could become troublesome sooner rather than later.
The weather signals that it’s about that time for mosquitoes to start buzzing around the area, and a mild winter means more are on the way.
But now, there’s more paperwork involved when companies want to spray for mosquitoes. It’s not necessarily slowing down the spraying process, but it has some companies changing their approach.
Since spraying for mosquitoes is technically polluting, according to the EPA, companies like Cape Fear Mosquito Control are doing things a little differently.
“We target the areas around your house that your kids will be playing in, and nature is nature, and you can never kill all the bugs,” said Ben Phillips.
Some people worry about the spray because of their organic vegetable garden or bee hives. When local governments, like New Hanover County, spray, they send that mist into the air.
The spray used in those trucks is less than 1 fluid ounce per acre, according to David Jenkins with the county’s Vector Control Service. That includes less than 1 gram of permethrin, the active ingredient, per acre.
Even though the spray solution is registered with the EPA, and government Vector Control Services have earned the newly created National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit, some people still prefer to opt out of the service.
That could leave neighbors unprotected, which is where companies like Cape Fear Mosquito can use their direct approach.
“We never hit a flowering bush,” said Phillips. “We don’t want to endanger the butterflies or the honeybee population.”
Warm Weather Could Lead To Armies Of Mosquitoes
Monday, March 19th, 201241NBC.com (Gainesville, GA): Warm Weather Could Lead To Armies Of Mosquitoes – AP Story
GAINESVILLE, Georgia (AP) – Authorities say this winter’s unseasonably warm temperatures could cause mosquitoes and other insects to come out earlier than normal this year in parts of Georgia.
University of Georgia entomology professor Paul Guillebeau tells The Times of Gainesville that if the general pattern of warmer weather continues, it’s likely that mosquitoes will have an earlier start than normal. He said that could mean a larger population.
A blast of arctic air is expected to hit Georgia this weekend, but experts say there are plenty of places for insects to hide out until temperatures rise again.
UGA entomology professor Nancy Hinkle said most insects are very hardy. She said many insects have a form of antifreeze in their blood, allowing them to tolerate subzero temperatures for a short time.
USA Today: Mosquitoes Swarm from Breeding Grounds Left by Hurricane Irene
Tuesday, September 20th, 2011USA Today: Mosquitoes Swarm from Breeding Grounds Left by Hurricane Irene
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
States along the East Coast are dealing with a larger than usual number of mosquitoes from residual water from the late-August storm, according to Joe Conlon, technical adviser for the American Mosquito Control Association.
The aftermath of weather patterns such as Hurricane Irene provide pockets of water with ideal conditions for mosquito breeding grounds, Conlon said.
“The mosquitoes that are plaguing the Mid-Atlantic area right now are a result of the hurricanes and tropical storms that have recently passed through,” added Janet McAllister, an entomologist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Conlon noted North Carolina’s Outer Banks, as well as areas of Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey and Massachusetts have been greatly affected by mosquitoes. Many affected areas have begun spraying insecticides to keep the mosquito population under control, Conlon added.
Homeowners can drain rain gutters, regularly change birdbaths and dispose of any containers that collect water to prevent mosquito breeding, Conlon and McAllister said.
“We advise (people) to use repellent when they’re outside, to make sure that the screens on their houses are in good repair and to not spend a lot of time outside at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are more active,” McAllister said.
The CDC suggests such repellents as DEET and Picaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus as a natural alternative.
Conlon said there are many mosquito-borne diseases – such as West Nile virus or Eastern equine encephalitis – that continue to be a concern.
According to the CDC’s arboviral activity update from Sept. 13, reports of West Nile virus are down this year, but there has been a recent spike because of storms. There have been 202 human cases of West Nile virus reported this year in 31 different states. Of those cases, 121 of them have been reported since Aug. 1. At this time last year, 381 West Nile cases had been reported.
Annie Bissett, a 56-year-old artist from Northampton, Mass., said there have been cases of Eastern equine encephalitis and West Nile in Massachusetts this summer and said it feels like the number of mosquitoes had “doubled or tripled since Irene came through.”
“I have a Labrador retriever who needs a walk every day, and my dog’s favorite place to walk is along a small river that flows through my town,” she said. “Even now, more than 2 weeks after Irene, the mosquitoes near the river are awful. You can feel them brushing against your skin as you walk. And they’re aggressive, as if they know their days are numbered with fall coming.”
Mosquito Control & West Nile Virus Information
Tuesday, September 13th, 2011Is West Nile Virus something that the average American should be concerned about?
West Nile Virus continues to be a concern among Americans—and rightfully so. A recent consumer survey conducted by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) points to mosquitoes as the number one concern in summer for homeowners nationwide.
West Nile Virus has spread across the country from Pennsylvania to Washington State since the first reported incidence in 1999. Since then, there have been a total of 19,710 reported cases, 785 of which were fatal. (Cite the CDC surveillance website totals). [[Figures from CDC West Nile Virus surveillance website totals from 1999-2006]]. In 2008, there were 1356 cases reported to the CDC.
If so, are there certain populations who are most at risk?
West Nile Virus effects populations nationwide.
What are some precautions that can be taken to help prevent mosquito bites in infants and toddlers?
There are a number of precautions parents can take to protect their home and family from mosquitoes. NPMA recommends a three-pronged approach: eliminate their food, shelter, and water. Here are some tips:
- Eliminate or reduce mosquito-breeding sites by replacing all standing water at least once a week. This includes birdbaths, ponds and swimming pools.
- Remove unneeded vegetation or trash from around any standing water sources that cannot be changed, dumped or removed.
- Introduce mosquito-eating fish such as gambusia, green sunfish, bluegills and minnows to standing water.
- Screen windows, doors, and other openings with mesh.
- Use mesh that is 18X18 strands per inch, or finer.
- Seal around all screen edges; and keep doors and windows shut to prevent entry of most mosquito species.
- Avoid going outdoors when and where mosquitoes are most active: during dusk or dawn.
- Use repellent on exposed skin whenever and wherever mosquitoes are likely to bite. Check product labels for information on age restrictions to make sure they are safe for your toddler or infant.
- According to the CDC, the most effective repellents currently available contain the active ingredient N, N-diethylbenzamide (DEET), in concentrations up to about 35% (greater concentrations don’t offer better protections). Again, check the product label for safety information regarding small children.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long-legged pants, preferably treated with a repellent as well.
Consider contacting a pest control professional. They can help reduce exposure to mosquitoes and decrease the risks for mosquito-borne illnesses by inspecting properties for mosquito breeding sites, treating to control mosquitoes, and by suggesting corrective actions, providing basic information, current news and references to other sources.
Contact your municipality or township to see if your community has a mosquito management program in place. Only a concerted community-wide effort can properly manage these pests and reduce the risks associated with them.
I’ve heard mosquitoes described as the most dangerous animals on earth because a high volume of fatalities can be attributed to mosquitoes. Do you feel this is accurate? Why or why not?
Mosquitoes are dangerous insects since they are known to transmit many potentially fatal diseases to both humans and mammals, such as horses. Some of the most common and well-known diseases include West Nile Virus, malaria, dengue fever and equine encephalitis. In Africa, over 700,000 children die each year from malaria.
Have the reported cases of West Nile Virus increased during recent years?
The reported incidences of West Nile Virus have generally increased over the years, with the most significant spike in 2003 with over 9,000 reported cases according to the CDC.
What is the forecast for mosquito-borne illness in the future?
Unfortunately we do not have a crystal ball to predict future outbreaks of mosquito-borne illnesses or other pest-related illnesses. What we do know is that mosquitoes have been on this planet for millions of years and will continue to thrive.
North Carolina Mosquito Control Program
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011ABC News: N.C. Girl Dead From Suspected Mosquito-Related Virus
An 8-year-old North Carolina girl died this week from encephalitis, after she was bitten by a mosquito likely carrying LaCrosse virus. Her death and the hospitalization of her younger brother are the latest evidence that a wet spring and a hot, wet summer have boosted the insects’ population and power to imperil public health.
Health officials on Friday awaited results of lab tests to confirm the underlying cause of the brain inflammation that proved fatal to the Henderson County, N.C., child. The youngster, whose name was being withheld, died Wednesday at Mission Hospital in Asheville, in the mountains of western North Carolina. The LaCrosse virus, which travels from the bloodstream into the brain, can cause headaches, fever, nausea, vomiting and weakness. It can only be spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito. It cannot be spread from person to person.
“North Carolina is one of the areas where LaCrosse virus is endemic, so having them report cases is not uncommon,” J. Erin Staples, a medical epidemiologist at a branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colo., said Friday. “LaCrosse disease is described more often in children, likely due to the interaction between children and the tree-hole breeding mosquitoes that carry the virus.”
As of Aug. 30, there were 22 confirmed and probable LaCrosse illnesses reported to the CDC. The CDC tally consisted of four cases from North Carolina, along with others from Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Mosquito surveillance that began in late spring in such states as Connecticut has shown an explosion in the numbers of mosquitoes caught in traps. As a result of this banner year for the buzzing biters, entomologists and health agencies have repeatedly reminded Americans to use insect repellants and avoid being outside at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are likeliest to turn to people for their blood meals. They also advise emptying standing water that mosquitoes use as breeding grounds, a particular risk in many states following the flooding from Hurricane Irene. Screened windows and doors can put more distance between mosquitoes and vulnerable skin.
Melting of the heavy winter snowfall, Mississippi River flooding and high waters from Hurricane Irene can be blamed for some of this year’s profusion of “nuisance mosquitoes,” although they’re not the culprits in potentially fatal mosquito-linked diseases, Staples said. She and her colleagues worry more about the high heat of summer, which boosts the population of mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus. Cases peak in late August and early September, Staples said. The virus first appeared in this country in 1999.
As of Aug. 30, 21 states had reported a total of 104 human West Nile cases to the CDC; four of those cases were fatal. The tally included 65 cases that spread to the nervous system. Patients became ill between March and August.
West Nile symptoms include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. When the virus invades the nervous system, it can produce one of three conditions: meningitis, which is an inflammation of the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord; encephalitis, which killed the North Carolina girl; or a type of spinal cord paralysis that can suddenly strike breathing muscles or muscles of the arms and legs.
Reported West Nile infections represent just a fraction of cases because many never get confirmed, said Roger Nasci, a research entomologist at the CDC’s Arboviral Diseases Branch in Fort Collins. “For every person diagnosed with meningitis or encephalitis with West Nile, there’s approximately 140 people infected. The vast majority will be asymptomatic,” he said.
West Nile, carried by Culex pipiens and Culex restuans mosquitoes, can produce fever and neurological problems without causing brain inflammation. Often, the symptoms are so vague that doctors will just prescribe fever reducers like acetaminophen, without seeing the need to perform blood tests that could detect the virus. Nasci estimated that doctors diagnose only 3 percent to 5 percent of the West Nile cases that cause symptoms short of meningitis, encephalitis and muscle weakness.
The most devastating of the mosquito-linked illnesses is Eastern equine encephalitis, which is rare, but fatal in about a third of cases. There is no treatment. Survivors often have brain damage. EEE is carried by Culiseta melanura mosquitoes, which live in marshes, swamps and other bodies of still water. So far, New York has reported the only human case for 2011. Seven other states have detected the disease in mosquitoes, birds and other animals.
As of Aug. 30, Arkansas reported a probable human case of St. Louis encephalitis, typically found in Eastern and Central states, and most dangerous to older patients. Florida and Nevada have detected it in insects and animals, the CDC’s latest tally showed.
With a Little Genetic Reprogramming, Blood-Sucking Can Be Deadly for Mosquitoes
Wednesday, July 20th, 2011With a Little Genetic Reprogramming, Blood-Sucking Can Be Deadly for Mosquitoes
What’s the News: Biochemists at the University of Arizona have found a promising new way to fight disease-carrying mosquitoes. In their research project, published in the journal PNAS, the scientists blocked mosquitoes’ ability to digest blood, making blood-sucking deadly to the winged pests. This technique could someday be used alongside other strategies to battle mosquitoes, like repellents and traps.
How the Heck:
- Mosquitoes, like many other insects, draw most of their nutrients from nectar. But when it comes time to produce eggs, female mosquitoes require large amounts of protein, which they get from blood. So, Roger Miesfeld and his research team decided to see what would happen if they blocked a mosquito’s ability to digest blood.
- The researchers focused on a protein complex called coatomer protein 1, or COPI, which is made up of several subunits that cells use to secrete gut enzymes that break down blood proteins. When a mosquito draws blood, cells lining its gut package enzymes in small droplets called vesicles, and release the packages into the gut.
- Using a technique called RNAi, the researchers shutdown individual COPI subunits in about 5,000 mosquitoes. Surprisingly, more than 90 percent of the yellow fever mosquitoes died within 48 hours of blood feeding. “When she does [feed], all hell starts breaking loose, biochemically and anatomically speaking,” Miesfeld said in a prepared statement.
- The researchers think that the removal of a COPI subunit makes the whole secretion process defective—It causes the cells lining a mosquito’s gut to fall apart, allowing blood to seep into its body.
What’s the Context:
- There are many techniques scientists have used to kill mosquitoes. Recently, a study in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene showed that a cheap deworming pill used against river blindness is temporarily effective for battling the spread of malaria, too. Mosquitoes that bite people who have taken the drug ultimately die.
- Researchers are also looking at ways to prevent mosquitoes from biting people. Earlier this year, scientists found a possible new mosquito repellent: a molecule that overloads a mosquito’s sense of smell.
- Other scientists want to use mosquitoes’ sense of smell to draw them into traps. The lure? Smelly socks.
The Future Holds: Miesfeld says that the research could be used in conjunction with other mosquito-fighting techniques, if they can develop a small molecule that works in place of the injected RNAi. Scientists could douse mosquito nets with the molecule to create an effective mosquito-specific insecticide, or place it in a pill for people to swallow (as with the deworming pill above). Though, Miesfeld notes that genetic changes would eventually make mosquitoes immune to the molecule.
