Berks County West Nile Virus Program

11/01/2016

All mosquito surveillance has come to an end for the 2016 season. Most species will seek shelter in buildings until warmer spring weather, while others will survive through egg masses waiting for rising spring water to hatch. Surveillance and control are to resume May 2017.

The BCCD WNV/Vector Control Coordinator can still be reached at 610-372-4657 ext 212 or [email protected] for any questions or concerns.

09/30/2016

Mosquito surveillance and control for West Nile Virus will come to an end today for the winter season and will resume in May 2017.

Further surveillance for the Asian Tiger Mosquito(Aedes albopictus), which has potential to transmit Zika Virus, will continue through October.

These mosquitoes are small, black and white in color, and will bite during the day. Preferred breeding is in artificial containers, such as tires, buckets, and rain gutters. By reducing these standing water habitats, you can reduce the population of these bothersome biters.

09/19/2016

Mosquito season is winding down, but certain species are still breeding and will be active into the fall. Reduce standing water in artificial containers in your yards to limit the breeding habitat of these mosquitoes.

09/02/2016

Several mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile Virus at the end of August. They were located in Heidelberg Township and parts of Reading City.

The Berks County Conservation District WNV Technicians have increased surveillance in these areas in order to sample and test more mosquitoes.
Please report high mosquito activity to the WNV Coordinator at [email protected] or 610-372-4657 ext 212.

08/24/2016

There is an adult mosquito control spray scheduled for Thursday August 25th in parts of Exeter Township. This is to be conducted by the township, using an Ultra Low Volume truck mounted sprayer, which will dispense a fine mist of insecticide. When mosquitoes come in contact with the fine droplets, they will fall from flight and expire. See below for more details and locations of the treatment:
http://www.exetertownship.com/Pages/Home.aspx

08/12/2016

Two mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile Virus in the beginning of August. They were located in Wyomissing Borough and Exeter Township.

The Berks County Conservation District WNV Technicians have increased surveillance in these areas in order to sample and test more mosquitoes.

Please report high mosquito activity to the WNV Coordinator at [email protected] or 610-372-4657 ext 212.

07/29/2016

During the month of July, two mosquito samlples tested psoitive for West Nile Virus. They were located in Leesport Borough and Reading City.

The Berks County Conservation District WNV Technicians have increased surveillance in these areas in order to sample and test more mosquitoes.

07/13/2016

Dead birds may be collected and reported to BCCD. Crows, jays, hawks, and owls will be collected for West Nile Virus testing.

- Birds must be dead less than 48 hours with no obvious signs of trauma.
- Place ice packs on top of bird and place a bucket over it, until it can be submitted. Do not freeze the specimen
- Avoid bare-hand contact when handling dead birds. Use rubber gloves when handling a dead bird. If you do not have gloves, insert your hand into a plastic bag, grasp the bird carefully and invert the bag over the bird. Each bird should be placed in a tied plastic bag, and then placed inside a second tied bag.

For further insturctions and contact info, visit the BCCD website.
http://berkscd.com/insect-mgmt/report-a-dead-bird/

06/07/2016

Unopened or abandoned pools can collect rainwater and become stagnant, creating an excellent habitat for breeding mosquitoes. Pools that will not be opened can be treated with pesticides in order to prevent mosquitoes from reproducing. Some of these pesticides can be applied by a licensed applicator, such as the BCCD, and some, as pictured below, are even available to the public.

05/27/2016

With the increasing warm weather and periods of precipitation, mosquito habitat is also increasing. Unopened pools, boat covers, and other tarps can collect rain water and become a breeding ground. If you are noticing an unusal number of mosquitoes, please contact Evan Corondi at the Berks County Conservation District or email at [email protected].

Surveillance for adult mosquitoes is performed using different types of traps, which you may see throughout Berks County. This is an example of a gravid trap, used to capture female mosquitoes looking to lay eggs.

05/17/2016

The 2016 West Nile Virus trapping season is officially underway! Help control mosquito populations by eliminating standing water in your yards and neighborhoods.

10/16/2015

Read about the Arctic's growing mosquito problem

The trend could spell disaster for caribou (and more nasty bites for humans).