PRESS RELEASE: Mosquito Control activity happening in your community
May 26, 2021
Help MMCD Name Our Mosquito Mascot!
June 8, 2021
Technicians from our East facility were out doing helicopter treatments to reduce cattail mosquito larvae this week.
Results from the May 24th Monday night surveillance show mosquito numbers increasing with mostly spring species
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 second week of adult insect surveillance happened on Monday, May 24th and the results published by the MMCD entomology lab show that adult mosquitoes are increasing throughout the district with anticipated increases coming in the next few weeks. The most prevalent species collected on May 24th were once again spring Aedes mosquitoes, which is to be expected.
Black flies, or biting gnats, continued to be high in a few spots, but for the most part their numbers have declined since last week. MMCD Assistant Entomologist Dr. Scott Larson says that if 2021 follows 2020, the coming week could see a significant spike in mosquitoes present throughout the district. In 2020 there were around 20 CO2 traps that collected over 1,000 mosquitoes during the first week in June.
Helicopters treated marshes to reduce cattail mosquitoes this week.
Helicopters contracted by MMCD were active this week treating for Coquillettidia perturbans or "cattail mosquitoes" that overwinter as larvae and emerge en masse around the beginning of July. Our treatments this week were at sites where larvae was found either last fall or early this spring.
The daily update of cities to be treated by helicopter can be found on our website.
Active period coming for deer tick nymphs.
MMCD tick specialist Janet Jarnefeld reminds everyone to be alert for ticks as we are heading into the peak season for nymphal deer ticks - in a typical year nymphal deer tick numbers peak in mid-June. Local news station WCCO recently did a story about deer tick season with some helpful tips.
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.
