Archives for August 2009

West Nile virus detected in British Colombia

August 24, 2009 By buzz

The Province – For the first time ever, the presence of West Nile virus has been found in British Columbia. Public Health officials made the announcement on Saturday, 22 August 2009.

“This doesn’t really come as a surprise,” said Dr. Perry Kendall, B.C. Provincial Health Officer. “We have been anticipating the arrival of WestNile virus in our province for several years now.”

A sample collected from a mosquito pool in the south Okanagan tested positive for the virus at the BC Centre for Disease Control, public-health officials said in the release.

In addition, two possible cases of the virus are being investigated in Kelowna residents who had travelled in the central and south Okanagan region.

While West Nile virus has afflicted B.C. residents before, all previous cases were acquired during travel outside the province.

Mosquito Trap in Rye Twp. Catches WNV Infected Mosquito

August 20, 2009 By buzz

Perry County Times – A mosquito trap in Rye Twp. has identified the presence for the first time this year of the West Nile virus in Perry County.

The trap was part of the ongoing West Nile Virus Surveillance Program which targets areas across the county on a rotating basis throughout the summer, according to program administrator Lucy Jansema, a resource specialist with Perry County Conservation District.

Jansema and her staff placed eight gravid traps, designed to attract egg-laying females and three carbon dioxide traps aimed at biting mosquitoes in various spots in Marysville and Rye Twp.

More info @ http://blog.perrycountytimes.com/?p=1018

Mosquito Traps Collect 300-500

August 19, 2009 By buzz

Shasta County CA, monitors West Nile virus (WNV) prevalence in the mosquito population through mosquito traps that expel carbon dioxide. Mosquitoes are drawn to carbon dioxide – the same compound exhaled by the people and animals that mosquitoes feed upon.

As such, the district works through 300 pounds of dry ice in the traps every two weeks, reports biologist John Albright of the Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District. Collecting between 300 to 500 at a time, the trapped mosquitoes are then gassed to unconsciousness and separated by species before being sent for laboratory testing.

Every year since its arrival in Shasta County in 2004, the West Nile Virus transmission rate has peaked during the months of July and August when the Culex spp. mosquitoes that spread the disease are at their peak populations, Albright previously said.

Blood From Mosquito Traps Finnish Suspect

August 11, 2009 By buzz

Archives : Posted Dec.22, 2008 : Police in Finland believe they have caught a car thief thanks to a DNA sample taken from a sample of his blood found inside a mosquito.

Last June a car was stolen in Lapua, some 380 kilometres north of Helsinki. It was soon found near a railway station in Seinaejoki, about 25 kilometres from where it was stolen.

“A police patrol carried out an inspection of the car and they noticed a mosquito that had sucked blood. It was sent to the laboratory, which showed the blood belonged to a man who was in the police registers,” Inspector Sakari Palomacki said.

Mosquito Trap Buying Guide

August 7, 2009 By buzz

Galt News, August 7, 2009: Over the last century man has had a hard time trying to control mosquitos and the risk has recently escalated as mosquitos are known to carry the West Nile virus here in the United States. Mosquito control products and mosquito catchers have been on the market for quite a while and it seems that each year they fail at their main goal of trapping mosquitos or creating a mosquito barrier in your yard. There are mosquito misting systems, mosquito coils, plants, magnets, repellents, and electronic bug zappers. Most are ineffective at stopping mosquitos from harassing you while you try to enjoy an evening outside. Many people stick to the mosquito sprays such as Deep Woods Off to prevent mosquito bites and irritation. The only problem is that you need to keep reapplying the spray on your clothes and exposed skin each time you go back outside.

Technology is improving on mosquito traps, but very few have proven that they actually work and some have even been shown to be dangerous.

RECOMMENDED – The Mega Catch Ultra Mosquito Control Trap MCU-800 gets the highest praise from consumers and experts alike. A few owners mention the expensive price tag on this unit, but then they do agree that it does a good job. Considering you can get years of mosquito free yards with the Mega Catch™, the money is well spent and provides a relaxing atmosphere.

Choose the best mosquito trap

August 5, 2009 By buzz

(Life 123) August 5, 2009) Mosquitoes don’t just ruin a good time; they are a health hazard. Awareness of mosquito-borne illness is on the rise, and you may be worried that insect repellents alone may be insufficient to protect you and your family, especially in your own backyard. A mosquito trap might be the answer. It’s a device that eliminates mosquitoes rather than simply repelling them. Ask a few questions and you’ll find the best mosquito trap for you.

How Mosquito Traps Work
Rather than keeping mosquitoes away from an area and the people in it, mosquito traps work by attracting the pests to the area and then killing them.

Added Advice
The American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA) reports that the science behind mosquito traps is solid and that mosquito traps perform “very well” in scientific trials. How well a mosquito trap performs in your yard is a question of proper maintenance, the number of mosquito sources and the species of mosquitoes that plagues you.