WCCO: Biting gnats out in full force in South Metro
May 20, 2021
PRESS RELEASE: Mosquito Control activity happening in your community
May 26, 2021
MMCD sets over 100 CO2 traps like this one throughout the district on Monday nights
Results from the first Monday night surveillance of 2021 show more black flies than mosquitoes; that will likely change following recent rains
Every Monday night starting in mid-May through September, the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District sets out a variety of mosquito and black fly traps throughout the district and employs a network of sweep net collections done by employees and volunteers. Any insects collected are brought back to our lab on Tuesday to be identified throughout the week with maps published to show current mosquito and black fly activity.
The first night of adult insect surveillance happened on Monday, May 17th and the results published by the MMCD entomology lab show that adult mosquitoes are not yet very abundant with most sweep net collections returning no mosquitoes and most CO2 traps collecting few or no mosquitoes. The most prevalent species collected on May 17th were spring Aedes mosquitoes, which is to be expected.
Black flies, or biting gnats, were higher than mosquitoes in some regions, especially the south part of the metro or near major rivers. MMCD Assistant Entomologist Dr. Scott Larson says he anticipates mosquito numbers to overtake black flies soon due to the high amount of rain most of the district has received in the past week.
Helicopter treatments underway after recent rainfalls and to reduce cattail mosquitoes.
Helicopters contracted by MMCD will be active this week to continue treatments after last week's rainfalls in wetlands where field staff found mosquito larvae present. Staff will also begin treatments for Coquillettidia perturbans or "cattail mosquitoes" that overwinter as larvae and emerge en masse around the beginning of July.
The latest list of cities to be treated by helicopter can be found on our website.
Tick activity is lower than expected this spring.
MMCD tick specialist Janet Jarnefeld reports that both wood and deer tick adults were out in lower than expected numbers this spring, and that in a typical year nymphal deer tick numbers peak in mid June. Fewer deer tick nymphs are infected compared to adult ticks, but most cases of Lyme disease are caused by nymphs because their small size allows them to remain hidden and attached long enough to transmit pathogens.
The best way to prevent tick-borne disease is to check yourself, your kids, and your pets any time you've been near tick habitat. Learn more about the tick surveillance program at MMCD.
For the latest updates on mosquito control, disease activity, and planned treatments, follow MMCD on Twitter or Facebook.
