Stephen J. Toth, Jr. and Thomas A. Melton, editors
Volume 17, Number 18, August 16, 2002

Residences, Structures and Communities

From: Charles S. Apperson and Michael G. Waldvogel, Extension Entomologists

With the increased number of birds testing positive for West Nile Virus, county Extension agents can expect more telephone calls from the public about the disease, dead bird sightings and mosquito control in general. Interested persons can refer to the following web page for information on West Nile Virus: http://insects.ncsu.edu/westnile.htm.

You will find information general information about mosquito control in on farms (e.g., around lagoons) and in residential communities, along with information about West Nile Virus (and other mosquito-borne diseases) specific to the situations in North Carolina:

1. The web site for the Public Health Pest Management Section (PHP) of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Their site has critical information, including:
   - Instructions and forms for reporting and collecting dead birds.
   - Reports can be filed online, by electronic mail or by telephone.
   - Q&A brochures about West Nile Virus (in English and Spanish). The brochures are printable as Adobe Acrobat PDF files.
   - Information about mosquito control and how communities can establish mosquito control programs.
   - Information about the state's monitoring program.
   - Names and phone numbers for contacts with the Section.

2. Links regarding West Nile Virus and other disease and their potential impact on other animals, such as horses. Although West Nile Virus gets most of the media attention, there are other important diseases such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis that can show up and are part of PHP's monitoring program.

3. A brochure dealing with the Asian tiger mosquito, which is a problem in many areas of the state. This mosquito is one of the species that breeds in water-filled containers.

In North Carolina, transmission of the virus appears to be restricted to a few counties. Finding dead or dying birds infected with West Nile Virus indicates that mosquito species that feed exclusively on birds are infected. To date, there is no evidence that any of the human-biting mosquito species are infected. So the chances of a single mosquito bite transmitting West Nile Virus to people is extremely remote. In addition, it is important to note that the vast majority of people who are bitten by infected mosquitoes, do not become ill.

If there are questions about possible spraying for mosquitoes in your area, direct those inquiries to your county's Department of Environmental Health. You may want to contact that office to find out if they have someone specifically designated to field inquiries.

One concern that we have heard from health officials is the growing popularity of barrels/buckets used to collect rainwater from gutters or cold/cool water when first starting up a shower. You can see a press release from PHP on this topic at: http://www.enr.state.nc.us/newsrels/20020808_mosquito.html.

Such containers quickly become mosquito breeding sites, particularly for the Asian tiger mosquito. One simple solution is to cover barrels and buckets with ordinary window screening. You may need to clean the screening periodically of any debris that rainwater might carry down from the gutters (assuming that we receive rain anytime soon!).

Remember that use of repellents on exposed skin and clothing is a good recommendation to make to avoid mosquito bites. There has been some recent controversy over the popular repellent, DEET. However, we still see this chemical as providing the best overall protection and recommend its use. As with any pesticide, common sense is the rule. Do not overuse these products. Limit their use on children, particularly children less than six years old. Do NOT apply these chemicals to children under the age of two years. Children should use products that contain lower concentrations (10 percent) of DEET. Do not spray the chemical directly on small children; they might inhale the chemical accidentally or it may get into their eyes or mouths. Spray a small amount of the chemical on your hands and then apply it to their skin (exposed skin only). Never apply repellent to children's hands because they may rub their eyes or stick their hands in their mouths.

There is an Insect Note on repellents at the following web site: http://insects.ncsu.edu/Urban/repel.htm.

There are additional links on the topic of repellents at the web site for the West Nile Virus information.

Employment and program opportunities are offered to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.

Last modified on August 19, 2002 by Stephen J. Toth, Jr.