Tim Leeds Havre Daily News tleeds@havredailynews.com
The city mosquito district is working to reduce the dangers presented by the summer pest, but there are many things residents can do to help and to protect themselves, the district coordinator said Monday. “One cup of water or a coffee cup can breed about 250 mosquitoes,” Terry Turner said. “A five-gallon pail about half full of water can breed 10,000 mosquitoes. You can see what we’re up against.” Turner said the mosquito district, which extends six miles north and five miles south of Havre, has been putting pellets into stands of water to retard the growth of larvae and prevent them from changing into adult mosquitoes, and has been fogging to kill adult mosquitoes when possible. “We have had some large outbreaks already,” he added. The growth of life cycle of mosquitoes, from egg into adult feeding insects, depends on the weather. The female mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water, which then hatch, the larvae develop and turn into pupa, much like the stage where caterpillars create a shell in which they turn into moths or butterflies, from which the adult mosquitoes emerge. At about 60 degrees, it takes about 30 days for the cycle to take place and adult mosquitoes to emerge; at about 68 degrees it takes about 15 days, and at 86 degrees it takes about eight-and-a-half days. Turner said the weather in north-central Montana the last few weeks has been ideal for breeding mosquitoes. Because adult mosquitoes can emerge in just more than a week, people need to make sure there is no standing water on their property. Even changing the water in a dog dish regularly can make a difference, he added. “Every week would probably be enough,” Turner said. He said that if people don’t take precautions, it can be dangerous. “Mosquitoes are the No. 1 killer in the world,” Turner said. The American Mosquito Control Association states that more than 1 million people worldwide die from mosquitoborne diseases each year, and the insects also transmit diseases that affect horses and dogs. Some of the many diseases Transmitted by mosquitoes include dog heartworm, malaria, yellow fever, encephalitis, and West Nile virus. West Nile, a sometimes fatal disease first confirmed in the United States in 1999, is generally carried by the culex mosquito, Turner said. “We have 54 different kinds of mosquitoes in Montana,” he added. “You’re always thinking a mosquito’s a mosquito. It’s not true.” He said the culex type of mosquito generally first appears in mid-July, so the season is almost upon us. One of the main goals of the mosquito district is to prevent the insect, and other dangerous forms of the mosquito, from spreading diseases like West Nile.. “If we can prevent and keep people from getting that, that’s one of our goals,” Turner said. “If we reduce that population there’s less risk.” He said people can help by making sure there is no standing water on their property, especially with the wet spring the area has had. Standing tires collect water and can easily breed thousands of mosquitoes; in wet weather sagging or clogged rain gutters can be a prime breeding ground. People also need to protect themselves, he said. Wearing long sleeves or using some kind of spray to keep the mosquitoes off will help. People who live outside of the district can protect themselves and their animals by buying their own products to add to standing bodies of water to prevent the growth of adult mosquitoes, spraying for the pests and taking other actions like vaccinating horses against West Nile virus, Turner said, adding that there is no vaccine to protect humans from that virus yet. The mosquito district regularly checks bodies of water to find out if there are larvae present, and if there are, adds pellets to retard their growth. The pellets do not affect humans, and because the larvae are still present insects like dragonflies feed on them, he said. If the weather permits, the district sprays for mosquitoes in infected areas. Turner said the spray is about the equivalent of sprays people can buy for domestic use. While they shouldn’t go into the fog, once it dissipates there is no danger, he said. The problem is, the fog is not effective if there are winds higher than 5 miles per hour or if it is raining, Turner added. That restricts when the district can spray. It has sprayed about six nights so far this year, he said. He added that if people are noticing a lot of mosquitoes, people can call the district at 265-4453 and personnel will spray for the insects when possible. The Havre district, which is a member of the American Mosquito Control Association and the multi-state Northwest Mosquito Control Association, could help keep this area ahead of mosquito-borne diseases, Turner said. There has been a lot of attention paid to mosquitoes following the outbreak of West Nile virus in the United States, and new diseases carried by the insects are being monitored in Europe and will probably eventually end up in this country, he said. Pam Burke of the Hill County Health Department said that Hill County has reported 10 confirmed cases of West Nile in humans since the disease was first reported in the United States in 1999, and six horses have had confirmed cases, although mild infections of the disease may have occurred without being confirmed. The Havre district was formed after 94 percent of the areas residents voted to approve its creation four years ago, Turner said. He added that people who want to be added to the district or create their own districts should contact the county commissioners. On the Net: American Mosquito Control Association: www.mosquito.org
