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We welcomed the calm start to the 2023 treatment season. Aerial treatment of over 52,000 acres in April went off smoothly with an easy transition into summer habitats by mid-May. Cooler temps at night in May allowed us to hold off on adulticiding until after Memorial Day for the third year in a row. Limited precipitation in May and early June also allowed for seasonal larviciding crews to conduct a full treatment of tires with extended residual products and a countywide catch basin treatment before moving into backyard inspections. Our first significant rains didn’t occur until June 25 with about an inch of rain throughout the county, and more in isolated northern locations. Rain fell more regularly through the end of June; however, the dry ground continued to quickly absorb the precipitation. Floodwater species activity was still nearly zero by the end of June.
Our mechanic is finishing up the touches on our new Vortex TR, a truck-mounted granular insecticide applicator. We hope to utilize this equipment in roadside ditches where heavy vegetation often hampers liquid insecticide reaching water. We continue surveillance on Cq. perturbans with our redesigned emergence traps capturing adults in both cattails and phragmites in the Bay and inland. By the end of June, counts of these mosquitoes reached over 2,500 a night in some traps with peak numbers expected in the first 10 days of July. From those same traps, we received confirmation of our first ever Eastern Equine Encephalitis-positive mosquito sample on June 30 collected near the Hampton Township shoreline. The intent of our intensive trapping along the shoreline was to provide more data on numbers and virus activity of Cq. perturbans and we are satisfied that it showed this early success in detection. This is one of the many advantages of having an organized mosquito control program, where dedicated monitoring can find virus activity early enough that response can occur prior to virus activity amplifying and prior to known human or animal infection. A press release was sent out creating awareness to our residents that the virus was active in our area while also noting the low risk at this time. BCMC will continue monitoring virus activity through the summer to determine minimum infection rates and necessary control measures. Rebecca Brandt, Manager |
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This past spring over 63,000 acres of spring woodland habitat was treated for reduction of various Aedes species. It was an average amount of wet habitat by our estimation. Though anecdotal, it seemed that the woodland pools were teeming with larvae, more so than usual. It was our intention to use the drone for spring treatment but a part failed on it, which required us to send it back for replacement. By the time the unit was back together the spring mosquitoes had moved to pupal or adult stage.
The drone was used to pretreat some retention areas with Natular® G30 so we now have legitimate treatment under our belts. Efforts are currently focused on being prepared for a summer rain event that requires larviciding. So far that has not developed. And though we are eager to gain more drone experience, we are not complaining about the lack of summer mosquitoes! I am sure you all have noted the dry conditions and do wish for a few light rains to keep the plants and crops healthy. In the meantime, we contend with what is left of the spring species and the coming wave of Coquillettidia perturbans. Wishing you all the best! Carl Doud, Director |
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We are nearly halfway through the control season and again experiencing unique mosquito populations due to very dry conditions. While Spring initially started with the usual rainfall breeding spring mosquitoes; since the month of May there has been very little rainfall with temperature swings of 50 degrees from one day to the next. This weather pattern has inhibited further nuisance mosquitoes beyond the spring mosquito hatch. Biting permanent water mosquitoes will become more noticeable in July as they emerge from cattail/swamp habitats. Furthermore, if temperatures remain above average and dry conditions persist, West Nile virus (WNV) activity may be above average this season.
At the end of May we detected the first mosquito-borne virus in Michigan for this season, when Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV) was identified in a collection of Aedes Canadensis (spring Aedes) in western Saginaw County. This is somewhat expected as we have consistently found JCV in various vectors seasonally, from spring through summer. The habitat, vectors, and hosts seem to be well supported here in Saginaw County. Arbovirus surveillance will continue to submit vector samples to the MDHHS’ Bureau of Laboratories through the season. We appreciate the State of Michigan’s support of such surveillance throughout the state. Following another successful spring aerial program, our abatement operations have been targeting a variety of persistent larval habitat (standing water) to limit biting and disease-carrying mosquito populations. These efforts have targeted poor draining roadside ditches, retention ponds, scrap tires, sewage lagoons, neglected swimming pools, and stormwater catch basins. Larval control products that provide extended control are utilized in many of these habitats as mosquito breeding can be continuous. Adult control has been active in areas with large tracts of spring mosquito habitat and in areas with increasing Culex mosquito activity. The following events and services further summarize the mosquito season and our operations: April
William Stanuszek, Director |
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Our countywide truck fogging and residential yard treatments for adult mosquitoes began on May 15. However, the cold evening temperatures shut us down several times. Once the weather started to cooperate a massive hatch of spring mosquitoes emerged. Our crew worked overtime to provide much needed relief to our residents.
Tick encounters this season have been more prevalent. Reports from field technicians along with several phone calls from residents, created a high level of concern. I addressed the Board of Commissioners with information our department received concerning ticks and provided the local paper with recommendations from MDHHS. On June 8, Akron Elementary School welcomed TCMA for Career Day. This provided an excellent opportunity to explain the importance of mosquito awareness and control. The students asked many questions about mosquitoes and the equipment used during the season. It truly was a pleasure to spend time with these young people and share information on mosquitoes and our program. Currently, testing results have read negative for disease in the county. Trapping and testing will continue throughout the season. A big thank you to our staff for hanging in there during a difficult time at the beginning of the season. The extra effort and hours you put in truly made a difference. Great job! Larry Zapfe, Director |
