By Stephen Appezzato
With the beautiful September weather also comes a pesky and potentially dangerous airborne threat.
This time of year is peak West Nile Virus season, a “concern” for the unsung heroes at the Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division (MCD) who work tirelessly to combat the resilient mosquito population in the county and reduce the spread of the virus.
West Nile is transmitted by mosquitos as they feed on human blood. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 5 people develop some symptoms, like fever. While most patients recover fully, some face long-lasting fatigue. About one in 150 people develop a severe illness that affects the central nervous system, like encephalitis or meningitis, after infection.
To combat the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, the MCD monitors and mitigates mosquito populations.
The MCD begins its surveillance in May and continues through October. The division monitors more than 3,000 sites around the county and even takes house calls from residents facing mosquito issues.
“If there’s water, there’s a mosquito that will take advantage of it,” said MCD superintendent Vicki Thompson.
Mosquitos “are very adaptive,” MCD senior entomologist Tony Acquaviva said. The critters can thrive in any form of standing water, whether it’s fresh, brackish or salt-water pools, and do not need long-term habitats to reproduce. According to Acquaviva, “temporary water,” such as water-filled buckets following a rainstorm, semipermanent and permanent bodies of water can all be inhabited by mosquitos.
The life cycle of a mosquito is short yet efficient. The insects lay and develop their eggs in standing water. According to Acquaviva, mosquitos go through four juvenile stages before adulthood. “That’s the period where they’re actively feeding in the water and developing their size,” he said.
After the fourth stage, the mosquitos pupate or go into an inactive stage similar to a moth or butterfly chrysalis. The pupa will then open up on the water and the adult mosquito will emerge, he said, then fly away.
“At that point, they can begin to breed and then the female mosquito for most species will require a blood meal,” he said.
Female mosquitos’ first blood meal triggers egg growth in its reproductive system. “That’s where the human interaction and other animals come into play,” Acquaviva said.
Most mosquitos take just one week to reach adulthood. Some larger mosquitos that don’t feed on human blood require longer.
In Monmouth County the MCD has documented 51 of the 63 mosquito species found in New Jersey. According to Acquaviva, the majority of these species are capable of carrying dangerous mosquito-borne illnesses. Usually it is a dozen or so species that the division encounters which give residents the most grief.
“Every time it rains and a container gets filled with water, you can get these mosquitos pumping out in your backyard,” Thompson said.
Residents can request service through the county website or call the division for a courtesy inspection. The inspector will search the property for habitats as well as adjacent properties for breeding grounds. With permission from homeowners, the division can treat the area.
“Our inspectors are good detectives,” Thompson said. The MCD uses multiple strategies to mitigate the mosquito population, including a pesticide containing BTI as its active ingredient, a naturally occurring bacteria that is often accepted as organic. “We’ll also use fish as a natural predator if the habitat is supportive of that” and water management, Thompson said.
For smaller habitats mosquitos can be quelled by simply dumping the water. For larger habitats like salt marshes and flooded wetlands, the division uses a helicopter to apply a pesticide in the region.
“Our focus is on the larval habitat versus trying to treat the air for the adult mosquitos,” Thompson explained.
Thompson advised residents to search their home and property for any standing water, noting some species like the Asian Tiger Mosquito – a species which thrives at this time of year – only require minimal pools of water to thrive.
“The saucers under plants are typical, especially if you have rain every other day and they stay wet,” Thompson said. But, even crevices such as the small rim on an upside-down bucket can contain enough water for a habitat.
Residents should be diligent about dumping water and cleaning their gutters. Consider wearing repellants, long sleeves and pants and avoiding the outdoors if your area is experiencing many mosquitos.
MCD inspections can be requested on its website at visitmonmouth.com or by calling 732-542-3630.
