By Mary Drier
Staff Writer
CARO — If you thought last year was a bad year for mosquitos, this season could be even worse the way it is starting to shape up.
Normally, Tuscola County Mosquito Abatement doesn’t start until April 1.
Between recent warm temperatures and melting snow, the department is expecting to start operations Monday, which is two and a half weeks ahead of schedule, said Abatement Director Kimberly Green.
The first step each year is treating standing water from melting snow and spring rains in wood lots.
“Last year we had a lot of standing water and a large first (mosquito) hatch,” said Green noting there was steady rains throughout 2014 which was perfect for mosquito breeding. “By Memorial Day, we were operating seven days a week, and then there were steady rains.”
There are about 2,194 wood-lot sites in the county that can be a mosquito breeding ground.
“Weather plays an important role in determining our mosquito population. Above average snowfall amounts and large amounts of rain in the spring delivered an impressive hatch of spring floodwater mosquitos last year,” said Green. “We continued to see above average rainfall totals throughout June. On July 6 and 7, three inches of rain fell in the lower part of the county causing flooding in several areas, and on July 27 a severe storm caused heavy rain, localized flooding and damage.
“We had hopes August would bring drier conditions. However, that was not the case. We continued to receive rains that caused many interruptions in our ability to treat.”
Statistics snow in 2014, there was 4.41 inches of rain in April, in May there was 5.19 inches of rain, in June there was 2.56 inches of rain, in July 4.60 inches, August 3.85 inches, and in September there was 3.93 inches of rain.
Besides announcing an earlier than normal start, Green also gave an overview of 2014 suppression operations.
Because the southern part of the county is at a lower level, there is normally more mosquito activity in the townships of Arbela, Dayton, Millington, Watertown and Vassar.
“Vassar is a floodplain area. Last year we had two trucks running in that area constantly,” said Green.
In order to monitor mosquito population, traps are placed throughout the county to collect information from the number of mosquitos found. Last May the first traps shows, 4,825 mosquitos were trapped. In June, the number increased to 9,434, and then leveled off to 7,527 in July. By August, the numbers dropped to 4,451 and then 2,710 in September, which is still rather high for that time of year.
Green noted suppression efforts normally wrap-up in October, but where extended into November last year.
Green also noted that suppression efforts are a little more difficult in Tuscola because of the large number of organic farms so technicians have to be careful spraying to account for drift near those fields.
“The purpose of mosquito control is two fold. We attempt to control biting mosquitos and the other is to diminish possible disease like West Neil,” she said.
Tuscola is one of four counties that have a suppression program – Midland, Saginaw, and Bay. It has had the program since voters first approved it in 1997.
Mary Drier is a staff writer for the Tuscola County Advertiser. She can be reached at drier@tcadvertiser.com.