How Surveillance Guides a Mosquito Abatement Program
In an effort to protect public health and improve the quality of life in communities, understanding how mosquito surveillance guides abatement strategies is crucial. Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM) programs are the first line of defense for mosquito abatement programs, combined with mosquito surveillance, larval and adult mosquito control, and public outreach education. Mosquito surveillance and disease testing provide the framework for implementing proactive, environmentally responsible strategies to control mosquito populations and safeguard public health. By accurately monitoring mosquito populations, identifying breeding sites, and detecting the presence of mosquito-borne diseases, a mosquito abatement program can prevent mosquito populations from interfering with outdoor activities or becoming a public health crisis.
What is Mosquito Surveillance?
Mosquito surveillance allows professionals to monitor mosquito populations, mosquito species, their developmental cycles, and the presence of mosquito-borne diseases. This is done by collecting and analyzing data through traps and testing population samples for diseases like West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and dengue. Continuous monitoring and testing for mosquito-borne diseases is crucial for government leaders to gauge the impact of mosquitoes within their communities. By relying on mosquito surveillance data, our experts can effectively implement control measures, such as larviciding or adulticiding, using low-risk EPA-registered products exactly where they are needed without impacting non-target areas. Many mosquito abatement programs have established action thresholds that determine when and how to control mosquitoes.
Mosquito Larval Surveillance
Larval surveillance monitors mosquitoes at their first stages of life. Our mosquito control experts use a dip cup or a tubular suction device to extract mosquito larvae for examination and determine if and when mosquito control measures are required in a targeted area. We monitor potential breeding sites like stagnant water, faulty drainage sites, or discarded tires. Mosquito larvae may also thrive in ponds, marshes, and outdoor containers like potted plants and buckets. Following a rain event or flooding, mosquito eggs can hatch and develop in low-lying areas like ditches or dry basins that temporarily hold water.
Mosquito Adult Surveillance
Adult mosquito surveillance starts with trapping adult mosquitoes weekly. Depending on the mosquito species being targeted, several trap types can be used, such as the CDC light trap, BG-Sentinel trap, New Jersey light trap, and gravid trap.
- CDC Light Trap: This trap uses a small light and a carbon dioxide (CO2) source to attract mosquitoes by simulating the respiratory gases of birds and mammals. A fan forces them into the collection cup, where they cannot escape.
- BG-Sentinel Trap: This trap targets Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti mosquito species by using attractants such as an octanol lure, human scents, or CO2 to lure mosquitoes into a funnel containing an electric fan that pulls them into a collection net.
- New Jersey Light Trap: This can capture a variety of mosquito species in large quantities and is designed to be permanently mounted five to six feet above the ground.
- Gravid Trap: This trap contains stagnant water (usually containing high organic matter) to lure gravid (with eggs) mosquitoes. Gravid traps are most effective for collecting an array of Culex species, mainly Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex pipiens.
How The Data Collected Is Analyzed
Once mosquitoes have been collected, they are brought back to the lab for analysis. Our entomologists start by counting the number of mosquitoes in the sample to help estimate the total size of a population in a given area. We then identify the mosquito species to determine their breeding habits, activity patterns, host preferences, and potential diseases like West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, zika, and dengue. Additionally, live adult mosquitoes are often tested for insecticide resistance to ensure the EPA-approved insecticides are still effective at their targeted dose.
Any mosquito surveillance data collected is stored in a proprietary database that allows stakeholders, government leaders, and public health organizations to access accurate records and timely information. This data can be used to track mosquito populations and breeding sites, determine how weather conditions influence mosquito activity, and predict potential disease outbreaks or high-risk disease areas. This can assist authorities in making informed decisions to prevent further disease spread and keep nuisance mosquitoes at bay. Based on the information provided, officials may choose to implement mosquito source reduction strategies, insecticide application, or biological controls as part of a mosquito abatement program.
Mosquito Abatement with VDCI
Mosquitoes are a growing public health threat as well as a major deterrent to enjoying the outdoors, and controlling them can be difficult. That’s why having a comprehensive mosquito abatement program in place is crucial for your community. Mosquito surveillance can help guide effective control measures and allows experts to detect disease-carrying mosquitoes. With science-backed solutions and the nation’s leading mosquito control experts on your side – VDCI provides your citizens peace of mind when enjoying the outdoors.
Contact Our Experts
Complete the form below or call us at 800-413-4445 to speak to an expert about your mosquito management needs.
Since 1992, Vector Disease Control International (VDCI) has taken pride in providing municipalities, mosquito abatement districts, industrial sites, planned communities, homeowners associations, and golf courses with the tools they need to run effective mosquito control programs. We are determined to protect the public health of the communities in which we operate. Our mosquito control professionals have over 100 years of combined experience in the field of public health, specifically vector disease control. We strive to provide the most effective and scientifically sound mosquito surveillance and control programs possible based on an Integrated Mosquito Management approach recommended by the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). VDCI is the only company in the country that can manage all aspects of an integrated mosquito management program, from surveillance to disease testing to aerial application in emergency situations.