The Pasco County Mosquito Control Center closely monitors the mosquito population

ODESSA, Florida – A room full of mosquitoes is usually a bad sign, but at Pasco County Mosquito Control Districtmore mosquitoes in their lab means fewer in your garden.

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“This is our insectary. We intentionally breed mosquitoes here for different reasons,” said general manager Adriane Rogers.

In the laboratory, adult mosquitoes fly around many cages.

“We use the adults to monitor resistance to the products we use. Each one contains a different species of mosquito. So we look at many species of mosquitoes to make sure the products we use are actually going to be effective in controlling them. .”

In a bowl of water, the larvae swim.

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“Here we have mosquito larvae. These are commonly called wigglers. So if you see them in anything growing in your garden, any container with water. If you go ahead and you just throw that water away, you will control mosquitoes in your own garden,” she said.

The research taking place in the cozy little lab is especially important right now. There are approximately 90 species of mosquitoes in Florida. In Pasco County there are about 50 species. South Florida is abuzz with a new species of mosquito.

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“We have very close relatives of this mosquito here in Pasco County. We have not yet identified the Culex lactator. However, we are constantly monitoring for invasive species. And the reason for this is that we are looking for transmission potential of disease.”

There are approximately 12 species of disease-carrying mosquitoes in Pasco County. One is the cousin of the new species found just south of us.

Studying mosquitoes is a job that only requires pesky biters. You also need chickens.

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Throughout the department, there are chicken coops. They are monitored by the PCMCD, taking blood samples to test for any exposure to disease.

Once a chicken tests positive, it is removed. Many chickens live on private properties. A retired chicken is permitted to remain on the property. Fortunately for the owner, his food and eggs are unaffected by exposure.

While exhibiting chickens is a tool for determining where problematic mosquitoes are flying, traps are able to paint an even better picture.

“With passive traps, a collection of 100 or more indicates that we really need to focus on that area. For one of the traps that are baited, like this trap here, several thousand mosquitoes are really what we’re looking at. . And that’s when we were moving forward with additional control measures.”

The traps are baited with carbon dioxide. Some can even count the number of mosquitoes flying indoors, providing real-time data.

“Two of the things we look for when we do adult mosquito surveillance are the type of mosquito so we can identify if it is a potential disease vector and also the relative abundance of the collection in the trap. “That way we can really focus our control efforts. And we know where to spend a lot of our mosquito control resources to bring down that adult pressure.”

Then there is the prevention side.

From the sky, a helicopter sprays a solution aimed at killing the larvae, mostly over hard-to-reach bodies of water like swamps and marshes.

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The solution is sprayed on the lines of trees, falling in the water.

On the ground, trucks can carry out neighborhood visits as well as spray tall grass near bodies of water.

Then there’s the Argo, an amphibious ATV that goes from land to water. It is designed to coat plants with a herbicide. These plants are home to about three species of mosquitoes that burrow into the plant. No plants means no homes for mosquitoes.

“We have a variety of different people on staff that really come together to make a very comprehensive and integrated mosquito management regime.”

All the work done is aimed at making our trip outside as pleasant and safe as possible.

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