NORTHWEST MOSQUITO ABATEMENT
DISTRICT
147
Phone: (847) 537-2306
Fax: (847) 537-2583
Mosquito Update
August 15, 2006
Currently,
3 human
The
Illinois Department of Public Health and Cook County Department of Public
Health have released warnings regarding the rapidly increasing risk of WNV to
humans. As the summer progresses it is
of utmost importance that cities, villages and municipalities continue their
warnings to residents regarding the threat of
Director’s Note:
2006 is the first true “wet”
summer since the introduction of WNV into
PRESENT CONTROL STATUS:
CULEX MOSQUITOES
Culex mosquito numbers have decreased due to control efforts focusing on Culex production sites. Elevated temperatures accelerate Culex development in stagnant water areas as well as the risk for WNV. Recent rains will once again provide additional Culex stagnant water production areas (for examples see: http://www.nwmadil.com/breeding sites1.htm). Residents are strongly advised to inspect & eliminate all stagnant water areas from their properties that may produce these mosquitoes every week through the months of July-September. Any container that holds water and organic debris for greater than 7 days can produce many of these mosquitoes.
Stagnant water mosquito producing sites (detention/retention ponds, ditches, building foundations & container sources) will be treated with the microbial insecticide Bacillus sphaericus and the insect growth regulator methoprene (a.k.a. Altosid). We are continuing our second treatment of street catch basins throughout the District with Altosid Ingots (methoprene).
MOSQUITO VIRUS
SURVEILLANCE IN
NWMAD has tested (VecTest
& PCR) 953 batches of mosquitoes for West Nile Virus,
The Illinois Department of
Public Health (IDPH) reports: 48
counties with mosquitoes or birds testing positive for WNV.
Mosquito batches testing
positive in the District are posted at the NWMAD website http://www.nwmadil.com/VECTEST1.htm.
ADULTICIDING (Night
Spraying Operation):
All Townships within the
NWMAD territory have been sprayed based on the detection of repetitive WNV infected
mosquito samples. To date, Townships
and/or parts of Townships have been sprayed on the following dates based on
infected mosquito surveillance and Culex
mosquito abundance:
Western NWMAD portion of
Nightly spraying schedules
can be viewed at the NWMAD website: http://www.nwmadil.com. Alternately, a recorded phone message
describing our scheduled nighttime spray program can be reached at (847)
537-2306 and pressing “5” on your telephone keypad. More information regarding our Adulticiding
program may be viewed at: http://www.nwmadil.com/Night
Spray info1.html
REDUCING THE RISK OF
MOSQUITO BITES:
Avoid outdoor activity if
possible from dusk to dawn when the mosquitoes bite the most. If you do go out wear light colored
protective clothing and insect repellent (always read label warnings and
directions). Make sure mosquitoes do not
enter homes through unscreened or broken doors or windows. Residents are encouraged not to create
mosquito harborage areas. Make sure tall
grassy areas are trimmed and other vegetation is cut back. If plants must be watered do so in the
morning so the vegetation and soil has a chance to dry making it less
attractive to mosquitoes. Empty any
containers holding stagnating water like tire casings, birdbaths, flower pots
and barrels that may produce mosquitoes. Un-maintained swimming pools may
produce thousands of mosquitoes. Call
the District to report stagnant water areas that remain wet for more than 7
days. Additional mosquito
avoidance/control practices may be found at the District’s website: www.nwmadil.com.
Mike Szyska
Director
PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO APPROPRIATE
DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES