Lab Operations
The Biology Department at Bay County Mosquito Control is responsible for a range of duties. A Biologist and two seasonal lab technicians conduct lab operations. Beginning in mid-March and continuing through September, larval and adult mosquito populations are tracked. With over thirty mosquito species in the Saginaw Valley, surveillance of nuisance and disease-carrying mosquito populations is critical.
Larval Surveillance
Known breeding sites are continually surveyed and sampled for mosquito larvae. Larval identification follows to determine which mosquito species are present in various habitats. Dippers, larval sampling tools, are used to scoop water for inspection. The picture at the left shows a dipper containing a sample of water with larvae and pupae.
Adult Mosquito Surveillance
Adult mosquitoes are collected in one of four ways: New Jersey Light Traps, CDC Traps, Gravid Traps, and Resting Boxes. Collected mosquitoes are counted and identified in the lab by trained staff members. These collections are important because they: indicate how many of each mosquito species are present, specify where the mosquitoes are, suggest which areas within the County need more control, and provide a quantitative measurement of how well control methods are working.
Dead Bird Surveillance
Bay County Mosquito Control will be taking reports on dead bird sightings, such as homeowner name, address, phone number, crossroads, and township. While we are interested in collecting information about dead birds as part of our efforts to understand West Nile Virus (WNV), we will ONLY be collecting dead crows and blue jays in good condition (no maggots or odor). These two species are the most susceptible to the West Nile Virus and are the only species tested by the state. Not every crow or blue jay reported will be tested. Birds will be collected from approximately April 1 through October 1.
Homeowners should report dead birds to Bay County Mosquito Control at (989) 894-4555. Please report all birds, but species other than crows and blue jays can be disposed of in the regular trash or buried. When handling birds, avoid barehanded contact. Instead, turn a plastic shopping bag inside out and scoop up the bird with the bag. Place the bagged carcass in an outdoor garbage can for disposal. We will not pick up live birds.
Quality Control
Biology staff members are responsible for ensuring that control materials are properly working and that field technicians are properly applying the materials. Furthermore, the truck-mounted ULV (Ultra Low Volume) spray equipment utilized for adult mosquito fogging is calibrated to guarantee the minimum effective amount of chemical is dispensed. We measure the droplet size of the material, too, so that droplets are in the proper range (10-17 microns) according to label recommendations.
Control materials that are currently being used as well as new formulations are evaluated on a regular basis. It's essential to make sure that we are using the best products available on today's market.