The Ada County Mosquito Abatement District uses an Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM) plan to mitigate the impact of mosquitoes and the threat of West Nile Virus in Ada County. Surveillance, adulticiding, and larviciding are the key components of the district’s program. The district also emphasizes a strong focus on education, the use of ecologically sensitive control agents and development site remediation (removal of mosquito development areas).
Our licensed and experienced staff will determine the most effective treatment to control potential vector populations. Use our Request for Service form to submit an online assistance form. To speak with a staff member about a mosquito-related issue, call us at (208) 577-4646 or e-mail us at: [email protected].
The ACMAD surveillance program was designed as a proactive measure to locate areas of disease concentration, as well as mosquito population abundance. An effective surveillance program can predict emergency situations, and enable the implementation of vector management strategies to intercede before a situation becomes critical.
Areas considered problematic are mapped using GPS technology, and are checked and treated throughout the summer. Mosquitoes are trapped nightly in strategically placed areas throughout Ada County. Once trapped, mosquitoes are collected, counted, identified and tested for West Nile Virus. When surveillance disease testing reveals a positive confirmation of West Nile Virus or any vector-borne disease in Ada County, efforts by larvicide and adulticide crews expand, including an increase in traps positioned near the location of the positive test.
The ACMAD Mosquito Tracker displays areas in the Treasure Valley where mosquitoes identified as West Nile Virus carriers have been located in real time.
Physical Control Remediation implements long-term solutions for controlling mosquito development habitats. The primary goal of the Ada County Mosquito Abatement District is to control mosquitoes by preventing them from developing. Though considered more time consuming and difficult to accomplish than other control methods, a preventative program provides a more cost-effective method to the county on a yearly basis.
Physical Control Remediation is an environmentally friendly control method that improves the effectiveness of mosquito development control measures without the use of chemicals. It provides a strong focus on designing, modifying and maintaining wetlands and storm water facilities to function in a way that will reduce or eliminate mosquito breeding habitats. It also balances the water quality, biological, aesthetic and hydrological values of our valuable wetlands.
The Ada County mosquito abatement crews work with landowners to reduce development sources by removing debris and vegetation and by pumping and/or filling sources to eliminate known mosquito development sources. When possible, ACMAD engages in Physical Control Remediation projects on public land.
Residents can be instrumental in protecting their communities by regularly dumping standing water anywhere on their property after large rain events and by avoiding overwatering of lawns to reduce mosquito development.
Larviciding is the first priority of mosquito control. The goal is to kill mosquito larvae before they mature into adult mosquitoes. The process involves treating mosquitoes at the larvae stage of their life cycle using the biological pesticides (e.g. Bti, Bs, and Spinosad) that target mosquito larvae in infested bodies of water. One produces protein crystals that stunt the growth of mosquito larvae and prevents the larvae from maturing into flying adults, while the other is a growth regulator (s-methoprene). The biological pesticides have selective action, which means that only mosquitoes, black flies and some midges are susceptible to these particular control agents, while aquatic animals and other insects remain unaffected by applications. Many of the pesticides that ACMAD uses to treat mosquito larva are certified organic through the Organic Materials Review Institute.
ACMAD also utilizes a natural wetting agent applied to the infested body of water changes the water’s surface film tension so the young mosquitoes cannot get the oxygen they need to survive and mature. These larviciding agents do not accumulate in the air, soil or water of a treatment site, nor are they harmful to non-target insects.
Adulticiding involves using ultra-low-volume fogging trucks to spray adult mosquitoes with pesticides. Spray trucks are dispatched during the nighttime hours to complete this process. Adulticide treatments for flying mosquitoes are released at an ultra-low volume rate of roughly one ounce per acre (close to the size of a football field). The aim of this process is to kill off adult mosquitoes that are flying, feeding and mating. Adulticiding is conducted during evening and nighttime hours to reduce exposure to non-target species, and to target vector mosquitoes when they are most active.
Adulticiding crews use products registered by the EPA for use in Public Health Mosquito Abatement programs. Studies indicate that when used as directed, these products pose no risks to the health of humans or the environment. This product can be toxic to freshwater aquatic organisms, so county abatement crews are careful to NOT spray within 100 feet of ponds, rivers or lakes whenever possible and when weather allows. The adulticide agent can also be toxic to honeybees, which is why fogging is not conducted during daytime hours, when bees are actively foraging.
Following Integrated Mosquito Best Management Practices standards, ACMAD tests for the presence of disease in immature and adult mosquitoes prior to implementing night time adulticide treatment applications. In cases of extreme mosquito abundance or high incidence of WNV based on district data, aerial applications may be warranted to protect public health and reduce disease transmission risk following best management practices standards.
Please note: if you have beehives, be sure to call ACMAD at (208) 577-4646 so your hive can be mapped and avoided by fogging operations, and be sure to register your hives with the Idaho State Department of Agriculture.
Ada Country prioritizes informing county residents with the most up-to-date and helpful information in our efforts to prevent mosquitoes from becoming a public health hazard or severe nuisance. It is also imperative to ensure that residents are on educated on the many strategies that they can use to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes, and to prevent the unintentional creation of new mosquito habitats (see the “Mosquito Abatement At Home” page for more information).
ACMAD is available to speak with local community groups, including HOAs, schools, classes, and garden clubs at any time upon request. The ACWPM education trailer can also be brought to any community event for public outreach. For public education and outreach requests, please reach out to [email protected].
Look for the education trailer at the Western Idaho Fair! Experts from each department will be available to answer any questions you have about mosquito abatement.
ACMAD also offer helpful information to residents on how to stay protected from mosquitoes. The ACWPM website and social media pages are also kept up to date with notices for the presence of West Nile virus, tips for reducing your risk to mosquito-borne diseases, and other important information from the Ada County Mosquito Abatement District (Facebook, Twitter, and ACWPM News).
Ada County residents who prefer not to have their properties sprayed by county personnel can utilize the mosquito abatement district’s No-Spray Request service. The four options or categories for property owners are listed below. Click a link to access the appropriate form for your situation. Please note that FORMS MUST BE SUBMITTED ANNUALLY FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR.
As outlined in Idaho Code § 39-2804(10), a landowner requesting to exclude his/her property from the abatement district’s mosquito control program must submit a written Mosquito Management Plan specific to the property. The detailed plan must provide adequate control measures and be implemented by the landowner.
Please be aware that should a landowner fail to follow his/her Mosquito Management Plan, or does not provide adequate control measures, the abatement district may abate the mosquitoes. Further, pursuant to Idaho Code §39-2812, Ada County Commissioners are authorized to initiate activities to respond to public health disasters and emergencies associated with an elevated or anticipated pest population that may constitute a risk to the public’s health and welfare.
For questions or comments regarding “No-Spray” services, please call our offices at (208) 577-4646, or e-mail our staff at: [email protected].
