Our Mission is to provide for the health, safety, and comfort of the residents within our district boundaries by the abatement of mosquitoes and other vector populations in order to minimize vector-borne diseases, The District accomplishes this task through constant surveillance and by employing the principles of integrated pest management in our efforts to control vector populations.

To report a problem click the Service Requests tab at the top of this page.

For information regarding the Chikungunya virus click the Q&As tab at the top of this page.

The Current Mosquito Abatement Control Area in Green

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Press Release (July 12, 2013) in PDF format here

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY
Aedes Aegypti - FACT SHEETS
- In English
- En Español

Press Release (June 17, 2013) in PDF format here

For more information about how to identify and control the mosquito click here

Comunicado de Prensa (Junio 17, 2013) en formato PDF aquí

PRESS RELEASE: REVISED

AEDES AEGYPTI FOUND IN MADERA RANCHOS & PARKWOOD AREAS

According to the Madera Mosquito and Vector Control District, the Aedes aegypti has been found in traps in Madera Ranchos & Parkwood areas in Madera County. Madera Ranchos is approximately half way between Madera & Clovis.

A few weeks ago, the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) was identified in a several block area on the west side of the city of Madera. This aggressive day-biting mosquito is not native to California; however it is a common mosquito in urban areas of the southeastern United States.

The Madera County Mosquito and Vector Control District is working with the Madera County Department of Health to evaluate the extent of the infestation and will aggressively target problem areas to prevent its spread. “Our goal is to eradicate this population” said Leonard Irby, the District’s Manager. “We definitely do not want this mosquito to become established in our communities.”

The District continues to expand the search by going door-to-door in surrounding neighborhoods to undertake control measures including education, source reduction, larval control, and local ground-based adulticiding (fogging) as necessary to target adult mosquitoes. Fogging will begin immediately in the infestation area.

Unlike our most common mosquito species in Madera, this tiny (approx. ¼ inch) distinctive black and white mosquito is a very aggressive day-biter. While they may be active around dusk and dawn, it is their day-biting habits that are most characteristic. Aedes aegypti is an efficient vector (transmitter) of dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and several viruses that cause encephalitis.

Although the results for testing on the sample of Aedes aegypti found in traps are negative for dengue and chikungunya, the public is urged to take precaution by preventing mosquito bites.

“At this time, there is no need to consider vaccination for yellow fever, unless you plan to travel in an endemic area. Everyone should practice diligent mosquito control, because some mosquitos are vectors for other serious diseases such as West Nile Virus which is endemic to the San Joaquin Valley,” urged Dr. Thomas Cole, Health Officer for Madera County.

“Mosquito control is our best bet. Residents experiencing mosquito bites during the day are urged to report them to the Mosquito and Vector Control District. We need the public’s help on this one” urged Leonard Irby, District Manager. Everyone can do something”. Below are tips on mosquito control and avoiding bites:

Mosquito Control

- Check your yard weekly for water-filled containers.
- Throw away or recycle water-holding containers that are not needed.
- If empty containers or large objects, such as boats or old appliances must be stored, they should be covered, turned over or placed under a roof that does not allow them to fill with water.
- Clean and scrub bird baths and pet-watering dishes weekly and dump the water from overflow dishes under potted plants and flower pots. Check that gutters are not holding water and cover rain barrels with tight screening so that mosquitoes cannot enter.
- Fill tree holes and other cavities in plants with sand or soil.
- Check for hidden bodies of water such as wells, septic tanks, manholes, clogged drains, etc.
- Call the Mosquito & Vector Control District when you detect unusual numbers of mosquitoes.

Avoid mosquito bites…Use personal protection to avoid mosquito bites. Wear long sleeve shirts, long pants, socks and shoes when mosquitoes are most active, especially at dusk and dawn. Apply repellents such as DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535 only to exposed skin and/or clothing (as directed on the product label). Do not use repellents under clothing. In addition to wearing repellent, you can protect yourself and your family by using mosquito netting over infant carriers, cribs and strollers, and installing or repairing window and door screens to keep out mosquitoes.

Residents are urged to call or use the “Services Requests” tab (at the top) to report possible sightings.

***ATTENTION***

The Madera County Mosquito & Vector Control District would like to inform you that we will be fogging your neighborhood on Thursday June 27th, between the hours of 3:00am – 8:00am. Please note this is a new fogger that will be spraying a Larveside to skill and larvae that may be breeding in containers that we may have missed during our door to door searches. This unit uses a gas engine that is much noisier than our Adult Foggers but only needs to spray the area once to cover the mosquito larvae sources.

Attached is a Resident Survey that we would greatly appreciate you taking the time to fill out and return back to us. You may fax, mail or hand deliver to the number or address listed above.

Also if you have containers with water please remove the water or treat the containers with BTI pellets that can be purchased at a local hardware store, The District appreciates your help in the ongoing effort eliminating the Aedes Aegypti breeding sources in Madera.

If you have any question or concerns, call the District at (559) 662-8880.

Thank you!

PRESS RELEASE - YELLOW FEVER MOSQUITO FOUND IN MADERA CA. - June 17, 2013

The yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) was identified this week in a several block area on the west side of the city of Madera. This aggressive day-biting mosquito is not native to California; however it is a common mosquito in urban areas of the southeastern United States.

The Madera County Mosquito and Vector Control District is working with the California Department of Public Health and the Madera County Department of Health to evaluate the extent of the infestation and will aggressively target problem areas to prevent its spread. “Our goal is to eradicate this population” said Leonard Irby, the District’s Manager. “We definitely do not want this mosquito to become established in our communities.”

The District will expand the search this week and go door-to-door in surrounding neighborhoods to undertake control measures including education, source reduction, larval control, and local ground-based adulticiding (fogging) as necessary to target adult mosquitoes. Fogging will begin immediately in the infestation area.

Unlike our most common mosquito species in Madera, this tiny (approx. ¼ inch) distinctive black and white mosquito is a very aggressive day-biter. While they may be active around dusk and dawn, it is their day-biting habits that are most characteristic. Aedes aegypti is an efficient vector (transmitter) of dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and several viruses that cause encephalitis.

Residents experiencing mosquito bites during the day are urged to report them to the District. “We need the public’s help on this one” urged Irby. “Anything holding even the smallest amount of water must be overturned and stored upside down. Please survey your property and discard any unneeded containers, cans, buckets, and tires, or move them into the garage. This mosquito is even known to lay eggs in water-filled holes in asphalt and concrete.”

Avoid mosquito bites! Use personal protection to avoid mosquito bites. Wear long sleeve shirts, long pants, socks and shoes when mosquitoes are most active, especially at dusk and dawn. Apply repellents such as DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535 only to exposed skin and/or clothing (as directed on the product label). Do not use repellents under clothing. In addition to wearing repellent, you can protect yourself and your family by using mosquito netting over infant carriers, cribs and strollers, and installing or repairing window and door screens to keep out mosquitoes.

Residents are urged to call or use the “Services Requests” tab (at the top) to report possible sightings.

The Madera County Mosquito & Vector Control District is a public health agency dedicated to the control of mosquito and other vector-borne diseases. The District can be reached at (559)662-8880

MOSQUITO INVASOR ENCONTRADO EN MADERA, CA - June 17, 2013

El mosquito que causa la fiebre amarilla (Aedes aegypti) fue identificado esta semana en varias cuadras del área al lado oeste de la ciudad de Madera. Este agresivo mosquito pica durante el día y no es un nativo común de California; sin embargo es un mosquito muy común en las aéreas urbanas de los estados del sureste de los Estados Unidos.

El Distrito de Control para Mosquitos y Vectores en el Condado de Madera esta trabajando con el Departamento de Salud del Estado de California y el Departamento de Salud del Condado de Madera para evaluar lo extenso de la infestación y atacar el problema para prevenir su propagación. “Nuestra meta es erradicar esta población” dijo Leonard Irby, Gerente del Distrito. “Definitivamente no queremos que éste mosquitos se establezca en nuestras comunidades.”

El Distrito expandirá la búsqueda ésta semana e ira de puerta-en-puerta en vecindarios circunvecinos para tomar control y medidas incluyendo la educación, reducción de fuentes, control de larva y fumigación como sea necesario para contra atacar los mosquitos adultos. La fumigación iniciará inmediatamente en las áreas de infestación.

Es diferente a la especie de mosquitos mas comunes de nuestra área en Madera, éste pequeño mosquito de (aprox. ¼ de pulgada) se distingue de color negro y blanco, muy agresivo durante el día. Aunque pudieran ser activos alrededor de la mañana y tarde, su hábito es picar de día, es una de las características que lo distingue. Este mosquito conocido como: Aedes aegypti es un vector eficiente (transmisor) de dengue, fiebre amarilla, chikungunya, y varios virus que causan encefalitis.

Residentes que experimenten picaduras de mosquitos durante el día se les pide informar al Distrito. “Necesitamos la ayuda del publico en éste caso” dijo Irby. “Cualquier objeto aún el mas pequeño que retenga la mínima cantidad de agua deberá ser volcado y almacenado al revés. Por favor vigile su propiedad y deseche los envases innecesarios, botes, cubetas, y llantas (neumáticos), o colóquelas en la cochera. Este mosquito es aún conocido por poner sus huevos en agujeros llenos de agua en el asfalto y concreto.”

Evite las picaduras de mosquito! Use protección personal para evitar las picaduras de mosquitos. Use camisa de manga larga, pantalones largos, calcetines y zapatos cuando los mosquitos están más activos, especialmente por la mañana y por la tarde. Aplique repelentes tal como DEET, picaridin, aceite de limón eucalipto, o IR3535 solamente a piel expuesta y/o prendas de vestir (como instruye la etiqueta del producto). No use repelentes por debajo de la ropa. Además de usar repelentes, usted puede proteger a su familia, usando los pabellones para cubrir la cuna, carriolas y portabebés de sus niños, también instale o repare los mosquiteros de las puertas y ventanas para impedir la entrada de mosquitos.

Información sobre las medidas de control puede encontrarse en esta página web.

Se pide a los residentes a llamar o usar este enlace “Services Requests” para reportar posibles sitios.

The Madera County Mosquito & Vector Control District is a public health agency dedicated to the control of mosquito and other vector-borne diseases. The District can be reached at (559)662-8880

Chikungunya

What It Is

Chikungunya virus (ChikV) (chik-un-GOON-ya) is transmitted by mosquitoes and causes joint pain and severe arthritis. It’s not normally fatal, but is extremely painful and symptoms can last for weeks or even months. In elderly people with compromised health, it can be a contributing factor to fatality.

Symptoms

• Abrupt onset of fever & joint pain
• Joint pain often debilitating
• May last days up to weeks
• Joint pain may persist for several months or years
• In older people, can contribute to death

How It Spreads

• ChikV is spread by two species: Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Both are day biters.
• They are abundant through about half of the country, primarily in the south and east.
• They are container breeders and bite in or near homes and schools
• Unlike West Nile, humans are the reservoir for the virus – meaning that if a mosquito bites an infected human, it will become infected and can spread ChikV to other humans.
• Travelers returning from tropical climates are the ones bringing the virus back to the U.S. If Aedes albopictus or Aedes aegypti are present in your area and bite an infected returning traveler, local transmission can amplify.
• Even though Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti eggs can overwinter, the ability for an infected female to transmit the virus to progeny is very, very unlikely. By and large, these adults don’t survive the winter, CHIKV will not circulate (and will not be transmitted) until re-introduced by human travelers. That said, temperate areas with enough moisture can aid adults to overwinter.

How Is ChikV Detected

• Symptoms appear generally 4 – 8 days once bitten by an infected mosquito.
• 72 – 90% of those infected develop symptoms.
• At this time, there are no tests for ChikV in mosquito pools, only in human blood samples.

Why Are Aedes Mosquitoes Challenging to Control?

• Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus are diurnal mosquitoes – active in daytime, resting in sheltered areas at night, especially Ae. aegypti.
• Aedes mosquitoes breed in sheltered areas and containers, like tires, gutters, pots, and wheelbarrows. Larviciding must reach these sheltered areas to be effective.
• Because Aedes rest at night, traditional adulticiding is difficult because mosquitoes are protected from contact with the adulticide.

What Should Mosquito Professionals Do?

• Identify whether you’re in an area likely to have ChikV (i.e., an area with significant populations of Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti).
• Maintain surveillance and species counts for Aedes mosquitoes
• Implement a larval source reduction plan. Aerial larviciding with a liquid or granule, as well as ground ULV larviciding, have been used to reach containers of all sizes.
• Educate residents to reduce breeding sites, use repellent and wear long sleeves and pants.
• Enlist volunteers to help get the word out in addition to posting on community websites, district websites and media outreach.
• If a case is identified, quickly learn if it was locally transmitted or an imported case. Make sure the correct information is being conveyed in the media. To date, most ChikV is imported by travelers who were infected in other areas and developed symptoms upon their return home.
• Use vector-appropriate adult control as human cases emerge. Why wait? Because a human has to bring it into the area. Since Aedes have a short flight range, activating adult control around human case tends to be the most efficient approach to adult treatment.

What Are Tools for Suppressing Outbreaks of ChikV?

• There are no medications or vaccinations for ChikV, only pain medication to treat symptoms.
• Rotate larvicides to avoid resistance. Natular’s active ingredient, spinosad, has a unique mode of action and novel class of chemistry.
• Because Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti are more active in daytime hours, if mosquito control is done in the evening/early morning hours using an adulticide with an agent to excite resting mosquitoes (i.e., Duet®) would aid in controlling more of the natural population. Traditional adult control products and protocols may not provide effective control at levels necessary to control outbreaks.

Resources

The following resources are available on the Clarke website (Home Page link): www.clarke.com

CDC Link
www.cdc.gov/chikungunya

Labels available on the Clarke website (Labels/MSDS): www.clarke.com

• Duet
• Natular G30
• Natular EC
• Natular T30

Ballot Results Summary available in PDF here

The Madera County Mosquito & Vector Control District is a public health agency dedicated to the control of mosquito and other vector-borne diseases.
The District can be reached at (559) 662-8880 or here on our website.

The Mosquito Abatement District’s program is based upon scientific approaches that have been incorporated into a compre¬hensive strategy of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), an approach that includes the following components: larval site monitoring, biological control, and the careful and strategic use of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency labeled and registered pesticide products.

Mosquito Life Cycle

Mosquito deposit their eggs on the inside walls of containers such as fountains, buckets, tires, etc.

The district participates in the state wide surveillance system by maintaining two sentinel chicken flocks, testing dead wild birds, and by trapping mosquitoes for testing with CO2 baited traps. Combined, these give us a warning ahead of time each season about the activity of the virus.

The chickens are bled once every two weeks during the months of May through October. The chickens represent a critical element of the District's surveillance program and help to prevent any transmission of SLE, WEE and WNV to the human population.

The District operates an ongoing program throughout the year to monitor for the presence of mosquito borne viral activity. Whenever a virus is detected in a particular area, mosquito control procedures are intensified to reduce mosquito populations in order to reduce the potential risk for humans or animals contracting West Nile Virus.

CDC CO2 Trap	New Jersey Light Trap	Gravid Trap

Report dead birds on your property to The West Nile Virus and Dead Bird Hotline (877) 986-BIRD (2473) dead birds (crows, blue jays and raptors) can be the first indicators of the presence of West Nile Virus in the area.

You can protect your horse by having it vaccinated for WNV. The best time to have your horse vaccinated is early spring. Contact your veterinarian to get your horse vaccinated correctly.

A neglected pool has abundant organic matter or bacterial growth, often with leaves or other debris, resulting in green to blackish-colored water.

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM MOSQUITO BITES BY USING REPELLENTS!
Before you go outside, apply a repellent containing DEET

To report a neglected pool contact:
Madera County M&VCD
3105 Airport Dr. Madera, CA. 93637
(559) 662-8880

Mosquito Fish

Mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis)
Mosquito fish have brown-olive green backs, sometimes with silver grey yellow tinges, and silver bellies. Males average about 1 1/4 inches in length: females range from 1 to 2 1/2 inches in length. The species was described in 1854, and it's value to mosquito control recognized in the early 1900's. originally it was found in the southern United States, Mexico and Cuba. It has become spread through many parts of the world, and has adapted to many habitats, including cooler climates. Some strains can survive for short periods in shallow water under thin ice, but temperatures below 65 degrees F., and less than 14 hours of sunlight per day usually prevent reproduction. Mosquito fish bear live young in broods of 40 to 100 or more. Most females die after producing three or four broods. They nay drop all of their young in one season or part in the next. Mosquito fish have controlled mosquito larvae in rice fields when planted early in the season at the rate of 300 per acre. Efficiency can be increased by eliminating larger predator fish before planting mosquito fish, by providing water circulation and holding reservoirs, by deepening channels, and by controlling weeds.
Madera County Mosquito and Vector Control District stocks area permanent ponds with mosquito fish, and makes a concerted effort to stock semi-permanent bodies of water within the District's boundaries beginning in March and April of every year. The mosquito fish, proven to be efficient predator of mosquito larvae, has a wide range of temperature tolerance, and will thrive unless it's water is highly polluted. Since they have a high reproduction rate during summer months, a relatively small beginning population will build up fairly to whatever population level any given pond will support,
The District maintains holding ponds of mosquito fish for Madera County residents who want to stock their own ponds or watering troughs. Anyone wishing to pick up starter stock of mosquito fish should call our district a day in advance, bring a container preferably a 5 gallon bucket or large ice chest, and make arrangements to minimize the time fish are in transport.

Reporting Dead Birds

All dead bird pickups have to be routed thought the dead bird hot line. 1-877-968-2473 or Contact the California West Nile Hotline by clicking the Crow Picture below.

Neglected Swimming Pools

Poorly maintained pools can provide a fertile breeding ground for mosquitoes, the prime culprit in spreading WNV. A significant percentage of mosquito complaints stem from neglected pools. Abandoned and neglected swimming pools have always been a problem, but now with West Nile Virus and Foreclosures nearing record levels ,it's extremely important to treat neglected pools as soon as possible.