ADULT MOSQUITO SURVEILLANCE
Adult Mosquito Surveillance: The Front Lines of Public Health
At the Northwest Mosquito Vector Control District, we don’t just react to mosquito problems—we anticipate them. Adult Surveillance (trapping) is the backbone of our Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM) strategy. Think of it as our early-warning system; it’s how we stay one step ahead of both nuisance swarms and potential health threats.
Why We Trap
Data is our best weapon. By monitoring the "who, what, and where" of local mosquito populations, we gain critical insights:
- Precision Targeting: We identify high-activity "hotspots," allowing us to focus our adulticiding (fogging) exactly where it’s needed most.
- Quality Control: Evaluating species counts tells us if our current field treatments are working or if a new, hidden breeding site has emerged.
- Disease Detection: Most importantly, trapping acts as a biological "tripwire," alerting us to the presence of mosquito-borne pathogens before they reach the public.
The Weekly Mission: From Field to Lab
Every week from June through October, our team monitors approximately 50 traps across the district. The process is a precision operation:
- Deployment: Traps are set in the late afternoon and retrieved at dawn.
- Analysis: In our lab, technicians meticulously identify and sort every mosquito captured.
- Testing: High-risk Culex mosquitoes are rushed to the Oregon State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. There, they are screened for West Nile virus (WNV), Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE), and Saint Louis Encephalitis (SLE).
If a positive result is detected, our rapid-response protocols kick in immediately, staying in effect until the threat is neutralized.
Our Tools of the Trade
We utilize specialized technology to track our targets, most notably the Encephalitis Vector Surveillance (EVS) Trap.
These traps use Carbon Dioxide (CO2) to mimic the breath of a host, lure in female mosquitoes searching for a blood meal. We rely on the EVS trap for its incredible mobility and its effectiveness in capturing both pesky biters and the specific species responsible for disease transmission.
The Biogents Sentinel Traps use Carbon Dioxide (CO2) as well as an optional syenthetic human scent lure to attract mosquitoes. These traps are capable of trapping a broad variety of mosquitoes.
