Behind the Scenes this Spring
By Teahna Stephens, Entomologist
Have you ever found yourself wondering: Why are some mosquitoes bigger or smaller than others? Why do those mosquito bites make you itch so much? Or why do those noisy spray trucks keep coming by your house at 4 a.m.? Many people are unaware of the many public health entities that are working tirelessly behind the scenes to protect and prevent them from contracting harmful diseases. Beach Mosquito Control District is no different.
An important element of mosquito control is the science behind it all. The surveillance department stays busy every week to set mosquito traps, identify the mosquitoes caught, and test for viruses that can harm people. You may be wondering, why mosquitoes? Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal in the world. The viruses they carry kill more people than sharks, bears, lions, or any other animal you can think of.
In the Panhandle of Florida, there are a few arboviruses that we have that are endemic. The viruses are always in the area going through their natural life cycles with our variety of wild bird populations. Sometimes, the virus can break out of that cycle and be transferred to people through infected mosquito bites. The Surveillance Department monitors viruses that are close to breaking out of that cycle with our Sentinel Chicken Program. There are chicken coops strategically placed between human populations and our woodlands or wetlands. Every week, we take a small blood sample from the chickens and send it to be tested for our most prevalent arboviruses.
Our most common Arboviruses information is in the table below:
| West Nile Virus (WNv) | Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) |
| Leading arbovirus in USA | Rare but serious |
| Symptoms: fever, headache, vomiting, joint pains, rash | Symptoms: fever, chills, body aches, and joint pain |
| 1 in 150 get severe symptoms: meningitis (fluid around brain & spinal cord) or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) can lead to death. | Approx. 30% of people that have serious symptoms die. The remainder normally have life-long neurological problems. |
| No treatment and No vaccines | No vaccines |
| Source: CDC.GOV | |
** This does not include all the diseases mosquitoes can carry and pass on to people.
In areas where chicken coops are not feasible, there are traps set to take samples of the mosquito populations. In Bay County, there are 50 different species of mosquitoes. This is why you may see differences in the appearances of certain mosquitoes at different times of the year. Some are more seasonal; some are active during daylight while others are nocturnal. As an Entomologist, my duties include identifying different species and determining if they are vectors (can pass viruses) or more of a nuisance mosquito. We also study their behaviors. For example, most of our West Nile and EEE vector species are nocturnal, this is why the spray trucks are normally spraying between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. before daylight.
While mosquitoes sound like this awful creature that should just be eliminated from the world, they are not all bad. Mosquitoes are just as important to the environment as bees and butterflies. They are pollinators and play an important role in the ecosystem. Only the females need a blood meal to form their eggs, and they do not always get them from humans. Mosquitoes feed on other mammals, reptiles, birds, even earthworms!
However, the few that will feed on people are usually competent to carry viruses. When the mosquito bites, they insert their mouthparts and some saliva. The saliva has a numbing agent to prevent it from being detected during the feeding process. This agent is what makes a welp and itches after the bite. It is also what transfers the virus. Some of these mosquitoes are adapted to living close to homes where they have easy access to people. Others just seize the opportunity of an easy meal when a human is in their environment.
While we are working behind the scenes to protect people from being bitten by mosquitoes through disease surveillance and strategic treatment options, there are a few things you can do to help prevent yourself from being bitten.
The 5 D’s of Mosquito Control:
- Drain all containers from around your property and talk with your neighbors if you are having issues. Mosquitoes can breed in a small container, such as a bottle cap.
- Dawn/Dusk: these are the times when mosquitoes are the most active. Avoid being outside around these times
- Dress: when outdoors wear long sleeves and pants. Especially around dawn and dusk.
- DEFEND: Use repellent!!
- Deet is your friend! Mosquito repellents with Deet are most effective for repelling mosquitoes.
- Other products can be effective tools but do your research on them. Some may need to be reapplied more often.
Lastly, Beach Mosquito Control District in Panama City Beach is here to help. We are local Government funded by tax dollars. Please call or email if you are being bitten or bothered by mosquitoes. Our phone number is (850) 233-5030. http://www.pcbeachmosquito.org
