National Mosquito Control Awareness Week 2022 – Follow Along with MMCD!
June 21, 2022
NMCAW: Plymouth Field Staff Cheng Yang and Katie Powell
June 22, 2022
Adult mosquito numbers decreased at most traps this week with the exception of a few hot spots along the river south of the Twin Cities.
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.
After a week of above average mosquito numbers, we saw a slight decrease in adult mosquitoes collected in CO2 traps during the night of June 13th. District-wide trap numbers decreased with the exception of a few traps along the Mississippi River in northern Dakota County and a few scattered traps in less populated areas.
Black flies were higher than last week near the Mississippi and Minnesota River that runs south of St. Paul. There were several spots with localized black fly abundance and other areas that saw a decrease from last week.
Here are the mosquito trap counts from last Monday, June 13th:
Take precautions to protect yourself during peak mosquito activity.
We are heading into the time of year when we typically see peak mosquito activity and towards the end of the summer we see heightened risk for mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile virus. We encourage you to take precautions to reduce mosquito bites this year. Last year we assembled a comprehensive Resident's Guide with lots of tips and we will be posting more throughout the summer on this blog and on social media.
Preventative measures to reduce mosquitoes around you include:
- Eliminate breeding sources - remove standing water, refresh bird baths, clear gutters, etc.
- Use larval control - for standing water you cannot remove, use larval control materials
- Use physical control - check for holes in screens, use a fan, keep grass short
- Use adult control - some materials are safe to control adult mosquitoes
- Protect yourself - use EPA approved bug spray, wear long sleeves, avoid outdoors at dusk
Get lots more tips and see a video on our Resident's Guide page.
For the latest updates on mosquito control, disease activity, and planned treatments, follow MMCD on Twitter or Facebook.
