Surveillance & Research

Research Capacities Include:

• Mosquito Population Surveillance and Surveys

• Microscopy and Identification of Arthropods

• Insect Rearing and Colony Maintenance

• Pesticide Efficacy Testing

• Immuno-Chromatographic Antigen Detection Assay

• Pesticide Resistance Monitoring Biological Assays

Arbovirus Surveillance

Since 1998, BMCD has monitored 3 sentinel chicken sites for the presence of arthropod-borne viruses (AKA arboviruses), including West Nile Virus. The sentinel chickens are tested for the presence of antibodies to four viruses known to be transmitted by mosquitoes in Florida. Pictured below is one of our field chicken coops.

Mosquito Population Surveillance

Beach Mosquito Control District has 17 sites that we routinely monitor for mosquitoes. Twice a week we set 22 mosquito traps consisting of standard CDC mosquito light traps, canopy CDC mosquito light traps (set at 9 meters off the ground), and coop exit traps. This allows us to analyze how many mosquitoes are present in our district, what species are active, and if any areas need to be sprayed with an insecticide.

Pictured above is one of our CDC light traps.

Pictured above is one of our canopy traps.

Pictured above is one of our chicken coop exit traps.

We also set gravid traps once a week. These traps specifically target mosquitoes that have already taken a blood meal. We can test these mosquitoes for virus presence to get an idea of how much viral activity is present within our district. It is another tool in our toolbelt to inform us when control is necessary to protect the health of our constituents. Pictured below is one of our gravid traps.

Taxonomy and Identification of Insects

BMCD is equipped to identify both adult and larval stages of mosquitoes. Since 2014, mosquitoes have been stored and curated reference collections for the 50 species of mosquitoes observed in the district.   Due to the diversity of flies in Bay County, other agencies have requested specific insect specimens for various research projects throughout the United States.

Publications: Riles et al. 2017; Yang et al. 2018; Sroute et al. 2020; Riles and Connelly 2020; Riles and Connelly 2021 (in Process); Davis et al. 2021; Riles MT 2021

 

Monitoring resistance to pesticides in wild mosquito populations is another function of the lab at BMCD.  The 2 mosquito species of most concern in the district are Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus. Both species are known to be associated with people and can be infected with viruses. We monitor wild populations of both species and test them for pesticide resistance. BMCD also sends collections of eggs to the University of Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory to test Culex and Aedes mosquitoes for resistance against 6 different active ingredients of pesticide.

Publications:  Parker et al. 2019

BMCD performs efficacy tests on our formulated pesticides (i.e. Permethrin; S- Methoprene, Bti, Bacillus sphaericus, and Spinosad).  We perform lab and field tests to ensure that the products we use to control mosquitoes are working properly. We test wild populations of mosquitoes to make sure our products control the mosquitoes in the aquatic and terrestrial habitats in the district.

Publications:  Mulla et al. 2011