San Joaquin County Mosquito and Vector Control District’s (District) mosquito-borne disease surveillance started a full trapping schedule this week. Starting this week, District personnel are placing sixty-five carbon dioxide-baited traps throughout San Joaquin County. Collected weekly, these strategic locations give the District a strong representative sample of the mosquito population, species activity, and mosquito-borne disease. With this data, when deemed necessary, the District increases mosquito control in any identified area, working to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne illness and protecting public health.
If you see these traps, please do not disturb them. “With the higher temperatures pushing into the 90-degree range, mosquitoes will become much more active. In turn, West Nile virus will become prominent. So, taking action to prevent mosquito development and mosquito bites is important. It’s initially on you to keep mosquitoes off,” said Aaron Devencenzi, District Public Information Officer.
Adult mosquito control activities will increase following the District’s surveillance results. The District does its part in controlling mosquitoes; however, mosquito prevention is everyone’s responsibility. People must protect themselves from mosquito bites. Residents and visitors of San Joaquin County can reduce their risk of WNV infection and other mosquito-transmitted diseases by taking these precautions:
- Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property that can support mosquito development. This includes as little as a bottle cap of water.
- According to label instructions, when outdoors, apply insect repellent containing EPA registered active ingredients, including DEET, Picaridin, Oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535. Repellents prevent mosquitoes from biting.
- Avoid spending time outside when mosquitoes are most active, at dawn and dusk, and into the evening.
- Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and other protective clothing outdoors.
- Exclude mosquitoes from your home with tight-fitting screens on doors and windows.
- Contact your veterinarian for information on vaccinating equine against WNV.
- Report significant mosquito infestations and daytime biting mosquitoes to San Joaquin County Mosquito & Vector Control District at www.sjmosquito.org or (209) 982-4675, 1-800-300-4675.
- Report dead birds to 1-877-WNV-BIRD (1-877-968-2473) or to www.westnile.ca.gov.
For more information, visit our website www.sjmosquito.org. Residents within San Joaquin County, including cities, can visit our website or call (209) 982-4675. Our hours are M-F, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. We are closed for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Follow us on Facebook @SJmosquitoandvector for more tips and information. 1-800-300-4675, or visit www.sjmosquito.org.