Blog
West Nile virus detected in Elmore County
Mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus (WNV) were detected in Elmore County on July 29, prompting health officials to remind people to take precautions to “Fight the Bite.” The positive mosquitoes, which are the first detected in Idaho this year, were collected by the Elmore County Mosquito Abatement District. Last year, Elmore County detected its first WNV-positive mosquitoes on July 27.“The detection of West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes in Elmore County indicates that conditions are right for t
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4th Aug 2022
First mosquito-borne virus of 2022 detected in Michigan mosquitoes
Mosquitoes recently collected in Bay County have tested positive for Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV) at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Laboratories (MDHHS BOL). These are the first infected mosquito pools detected for 2022. Residents are reminded that the best way to protect themselves against JCV and other mosquito-borne illnesses, including Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV), is to prevent mosquito bites.Every summer in Michigan, bites from
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28th Jun 2022
Wet conditions bring onslaught of mosquitoes, biting flies across Minnesota
After a relative reprieve from mosquitoes and biting flies due to drought conditions last summer, Minnesotans are facing an onslaught of those pesky insects this year.Northern Minnesota's snowy winter and wet spring created excellent conditions for insects to proliferate.Residents along parts of the North Shore say the mosquitoes so far are mostly tolerable; they fly slow, and a good breeze will scare them off. Rather, it's an epic crop of black flies that've causing the most headaches this seas
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16th Jun 2022
Mosquitoes prefer dozing over dining when they are sleep-deprived
Sleepy skeeters lagged behind well-rested ones when offered a researcher’s leg to feed onTurns out there is rest for the wicked: Sleepy mosquitoes are more likely to catch up on missed z’s than drink blood, a new study finds.Most people are familiar with the aftermath of a poor night’s sleep. Insects also suffer; for instance, drowsy honeybees struggle to perform their signature waggle dance, and weary fruit flies show signs of memory loss. In the case of sleep-deprived mosquitoes, they give up
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13th Jun 2022
What Diseases Can You Get From Mosquitoes?
Mosquito-borne diseases are infectious diseases that are spread by the bite of infected mosquitoes carrying the pathogens. They include Zika virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus, dengue, and malaria. Mosquitoes are among the vectors that transmit more than one in seven infectious diseases, causing around 700,000 deaths a year.BackgroundThe mosquito is named from the Spanish word meaning “small fly” and belongs to a group of around 3,600 species of small flies within the family Culicidae. Al
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21st Apr 2022