Surveillance
During mosquito season, which runs from May through October, the Mosquito Abatement Team sets traps once per week in all areas of the precinct to track mosquito-borne disease activity and inform treatment decisions.
Disease Testing
We test Culex quinquefasciatus and other Culex species mosquitoes for mosquito-borne diseases, such as the West Nile Virus. A select number of samples are sent to the Texas Department of Health Services for PCR testing while the rest are tested in-house using the RAMP system.
Treatment
Areas where disease activity has been detected in the local mosquito population are treated using truck-based ultra-low volume (ULV) sprayers. These treatments take place when the species that carry disease are most active – between dusk and dawn.
Local mosquito species
To reduce the abundance of both disease-carrying and so-called “nuisance mosquitoes”, we target them in their larval stage. We identify and eliminate mosquito breeding sites within the county right-of-way. If a breeding site cannot be eliminated we treat the area with larvicides, which are chemicals that are designed to kill mosquito larvae with minimal environmental impact.
Southern House Mosquito
Culex quinqufasciatus
Habitat: Residential areas, breeds in brackish water with high organic content.
Disease: West Nile Virus
Active Time: Early evening through early morning.
Asian Tiger
Aedes albopictus
Habitat: Residential areas, breeds in artificial containers with relatively clean water.
Disease: None, aggressive biter.
Active Time: Daytime.
White-Footed Mosquito
Psorophora ferox
“Ferox wears white socks”
Habitat: Woodland areas, “floodplain mosquito” usually seen 1 – 2 weeks after heavy rainfall.
Disease: None, aggressive biter.
Active Time: All day.
Elephant Mosquito
Toxorhynchites
Habitat: Woodland and residential areas.
Disease: None, these mosquitoes do not take a blood meal, they drink nectar and their larvae eat other mosquito larvae.
Active Time: Daytime.
