Weekly Update – May 5th – Dry, Cool, Mostly Mosquito-Free Week Ahead
May 5, 2026
CO2 traps like the one pictured will be set up all around the Twin Cities starting tonight.
Surveillance for adult mosquitoes begins today in the Twin Cities.
Up to this point in the season reports of adult mosquito activity have been largely anecdotal - field staff have been reporting findings as they encounter mosquitoes on the job and the public have sent in reports of high mosquito activity in certain areas. Soon, however, we will have lots more data on mosquito activity as MMCD begins our Monday night adult mosquito surveillance network today. Starting today and continuing every Monday (or Tuesday on a holiday week) staff from MMCD will collect adult mosquitoes to give a snapshot of current activity throughout the District.
The Monday night surveillance method consists of three primary methods to collect mosquitoes:
- CO2 Traps - Small devices that hang from trees that are baited with dry ice, which releases carbon dioxide to lure in the mosquitoes. When the mosquitoes approach the trap, a fan blows them into a net which is collected the next day.
- Gravid Traps - Containers on the ground that hold murky water to lure in mosquitoes seeking a place to lay eggs. Once they enter the water a fan attached to the trap pulls them into a net.
- Sweep Net Collections - Brave volunteers stand in their yard with a sweep net and wait for mosquitoes to approach. Then for two minutes they sweep around their head, torso, and legs, collecting as many mosquitoes as possible.
All of these samples are brought back to the entomology lab in St. Paul to be counted by species and this data helps determine MMCD's operations. Starting next week, we will have maps included in our weekly update featuring the counts of human-biting mosquitoes at each trap throughout the district.
As the weather continues to warm up this week, we will get to see the impacts of the early season MMCD treatments. Last week MMCD helicopters completed the brood from the first big rain of the season, treating 12,880 acres throughout the week. This week helicopters will likely be active again to deliver the first round of pre-hatch treatments. This will be for areas that have a history of high mosquito activity using a material that lasts a little longer, with the hopes that the ingredient will be active when the mosquitoes do hatch.
Temperatures begin to warm up this week, so the mostly absent mosquitoes may start to appear, especially on evenings that the temperatures stay warmer. Next week we will have our first real update on adult mosquito activity after today's trap and sweep net collections.
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month - Are You a Tick Magnet?
It makes sense that May is recognized as Lyme Disease Awareness Month each year because this time of year is when the risk of tick-borne Lyme disease is peaking. April and May brings the return of last year's adult ticks that re-emerge after the snowmelt. May-June is when the nymphal deer ticks emerge in search of a host. Be on alert if you are near any tick habitat this month!
For 2026 MMCD is excited to debut our new tick magnets (pictured above)! You can pick these up at one of our public events this year or request one by calling us at (651) 645-9149 or sending us an e-mail!
To avoid bites from ticks that can potentially carry Lyme disease there are a couple important steps you can take:
- Be able to identify tick habitat and check yourself after you've been in it.
- Deer ticks harbor in wooded or brushy areas, so ensure you stay on trails and avoid coming into contact with brush or vegetation that can potentially be harboring ticks.
- After being near tick habitat, check your whole body for ticks. Be sure to also check kids and pets.
- Remove ticks as soon as you find them. If they've already attached, use a tweezer or your fingers to grasp as close to the mouth as possible and pull up. Wash the area with soap and warm water.
- Protect yourself from tick bites.
- Use DEET or Picaridin-based insect repellent on skin.
- Pre-treat clothing and gear with Permethrin, which will actively repel ticks and mosquitoes.
- Wear light colored clothing to spot ticks more easily.
- Wear long pants and tuck them into your socks to make it more difficult for ticks to access skin.
- Tumble dry clothing after being in tick habitat for at least 60 minutes.
- Use a flea and tick preventative on your dog - talk to your veterinarian to get the recommended product for the breed.
- Reduce tick activity in your yard.
- Keep grass short and mow regularly.
- Remove leaves, wood piles, and brush.
- Create a barrier between mowed lawns and woods - rocks or wood chips work well.
- Many of the tips in our Resident's Guide for mosquitoes also work for ticks!
Be sure you are taking these precautions and being tick safe during these busy summer months and you can help reduce the spread of Lyme disease!
Events This Week:
- Monday, May 11th - Come see MMCD at the Credit River Town Park Meeting in Prior Lake!
- Saturday, May 16th - See our table at the Spring Into Summer Event in Maple Grove!
MMCD in the News:
- MMCD Assistant Entomologist, Mir Bear-Johnson, was featured on City Cast Twin Cities to talk about the upcoming mosquito season!
Win an MMCD T-Shirt!
Here is your chance to win either the new MMCD Attack Larvae T-Shirt or last year's Laser Loon shirt. Sign up for "The Weekly Buzz" newsletter with Weekly Mosquito updates. Each week there will be a trivia question at the end. Two correct answers each week will get a shirt!
Enter your e-mail address below to sign up now!
