Volume 7: District Roundtable

How has mosquito surveillance evolved in recent years, and what tools or approaches are making the biggest difference? (e.g. trapping, testing, GIS, new technologies, etc.)

Colby Colona (Tangipahoa):

Our traps have been stable for years. Our locations are fairly well set, which is good because we have very robust historical data for these locations. That really helps drive our treatment decisions for those areas.

A couple of years ago, we purchased a drone and fully incorporated that into our operations. Now we perform treatments of local cemeteries and fields approximately once per month. All the construction that we’re seeing leaves large cleared-out fields with a lot of ruts and vegetation that’s fallen over. We use the drone to access these large areas that would be very difficult to get in on foot. That’s been very successful.

We’ve also developed risk maps using weekly data from the LSU veterinary laboratory combined with CDC environmental factors. These risk maps identify hot spots for West Nile virus activity and are shared publicly every week, allowing residents to take their own personal precautions.

Ashley Wilson (Galveston):

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have become a really big tool for us and many of the mosquito control programs in this area. We’ve used it for a while, but we’re definitely seeing a big shift from other mosquito control programs using it as a new tool. There have been big improvements in the GIS field over the years and being able to map out your areas, see exactly what your sprayers are doing, and what your larvicide units are doing is essential to our operations. We can go out and look at aerial footage and look at possible new trap sites or treatment sites and even think “oh, I didn’t know that was there.” GIS now makes it easier to access, even for the smaller programs that may not have the funds for it.

A lot of us trap the same way, so I don’t necessarily see major trapping improvements. We are the only Sentinel chicken program in Texas, but we are starting to see some other programs that are showing interest as well. Being able to coordinate with programs has really increased with tools like Teams. Even small programs are starting to adopt it, so we can talk to each other, coordinate efforts, and ask “What are you doing? What should I do over here?” That ability to communicate online, show what you’re doing, send maps from our area and ask for suggestions—technology has just really increased and helped a lot of us coordinate, plan, and even educate. We could put that information out there on social media, we could put it on our website and give the information to the public as well. And that effort has really increased over the last five years. We’re seeing the ability to get that information out to the public and maybe answer some questions and help educate them about what we do, but also what they can do.

Whitney Qualls (Anastasia):

We are currently collaborating with several industry partners to develop innovative mosquito traps that integrate artificial intelligence (AI) to provide real-time species identification. This technology will allow us to identify which mosquito species are responsible for population spikes as they occur, enabling more timely and targeted control efforts. I believe the next generation of mosquito traps will provide valuable real-time surveillance data that can be incorporated directly into our daily operational decisions.

From a surveillance standpoint, we already have a very robust program that utilizes a variety of trapping methods. However, the integration of comprehensive surveillance databases with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provides an additional layer of insight. These tools allow us to identify patterns in mosquito distribution and better pinpoint potential breeding sources. For example, when elevated mosquito populations are detected in a trap, GIS analysis may reveal a large stormwater retention area or wastewater treatment facility a mile away that had not previously been identified as a potential source.

As AI technology continues to advance, we have tremendous opportunities to strengthen mosquito surveillance, improve operational efficiency, and make more informed, data-driven control decisions. I believe these emerging technologies represent an exciting future for mosquito control.

Priscilla Matton & Todd Duval (Bristol):

The biggest evolution we have seen has been molecular testing over the last 20 years or so. It’s quicker, it’s easier, and it’s more accurate than the older methods we used previously. That’s been transformative for our ability to detect and respond to diseases quickly. We can now get results in a much shorter timeframe, which allows for faster response to positive findings. The speed has enabled us to be more proactive rather than reactive.

For Massachusetts specifically, we have a very robust data set for EEE going back into the 1950s and 60s because of our long history with the disease and our commitment to surveillance. Having those historical datasets is absolutely invaluable. We can compare current activity against decades of baseline data to determine if we’re seeing something genuinely different or if we’re within normal historical variation. That context is crucial for making good decisions about resource allocation and control strategies. Understanding what normal variation looks like allows us to identify true anomalies. This long-term perspective is a significant advantage.

Jason Farned (San Gabriel Valley):

Mosquito surveillance has become significantly more data-driven. We integrate trapping data, mosquito testing, GIS mapping, and environmental information more heavily than ever before, while advances in data analysis tools allow us to process larger volumes of information and identify trends much more quickly. This enables us to make faster, more informed operational decisions and target resources where they will have the greatest impact. At the same time, we’re continuing to evaluate novel mosquito control strategies, such as the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), which is showing promising results as an additional tool for managing invasive Aedes mosquitoes. While technology continues to improve our capabilities, experienced field staff remain our greatest asset, providing the local knowledge and expertise that turns data into effective public health action.

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What role should public education and community participation play in reducing mosquito-borne disease risk? Where do you see the biggest opportunities to improve public understanding or behavior?

Colby Colona (Tangipahoa):

Public education should play a huge role in reducing mosquito-borne disease risk. Districts that can support that financially should have somebody on staff that is doing that every day—writing press releases, engaging with radio shows, monitoring social media and answering the antagonistic comments.

The public is distrustful of government agencies, which is what most of us are. We need to be proactive in addressing those concerns. We need to show people that we are your friendly neighborhood mosquito control—not some big brother agency that’s trying to control human populations.

The biggest opportunity is having somebody dedicated to this, because we’re all scientists and very busy. I can do some Facebook posting when necessary, but I don’t think that way. Most people running mosquito districts and labs also don’t think that way. I feel that should really be contracted out to someone more knowledgeable with how the public behaves and responds to things.

Ashley Wilson (Galveston):

From our district, our public education program is probably on the smaller side. We put information out to the public on our website, we have people who answer phone calls, and we’ve just started putting out Facebook posts updating the public on what they can do around their home and what we do. Because we don’t have the manpower for a big program, we focus on what we can manage. We put all our spray information on our website and have a phone recording where the public can call to leave information or check what we sprayed and what we’re going to spray.

However, I’m seeing a lot of increase in our region from other programs like Harris County and Montgomery County who are putting out more pamphlets and reaching out to realtors to hand information to new homeowners. They’re educating people on what they can do in their yards and about repellents. As we’re getting more people moving into our area, I think those are great tools. We’re looking to shift toward more social media posts and public outreach in the future because there’s a loss in translation sometimes. Homeowners think we should handle everything, but there are things they can do around their home that are better than us having to do massive treatments. That’s something we’ll definitely look at as our area grows.

Whitney Qualls (Anastasia):

We have a number of ways to communicate with and educate the public. Every one of our technicians is an educator. We do a lot of preseason training on how to interact with the public, because we do handle service requests. People will call in and request an inspection, especially when we’re slow, or when they think they’re breeding their own mosquitoes instead of dealing with large salt marsh mosquito hatch-offs or freshwater swamp hatch-offs.

Those service requests become educational events. Our staff walks the individual around their property and explains where the mosquitoes are probably coming from. We also use traps so we can confirm whether they are, in fact, breeding their own mosquitoes, and then we educate them.

We have a Disease Vector Education Center—a 6,000-square-foot interactive, museum-like facility we’re very proud of. As soon as you walk in, you learn where mosquitoes breed and what they feed on. We have a Florida-style cracker house with rain barrels and dog bowls showing how mosquitoes breed around homes. On the other side, an estuary transitions into salt marsh, so visitors can see different environments and the animals mosquitoes may feed on.

This approach highlights that the environment as a whole is impacted by mosquitoes—not just people. Education needs to be at a level that encourages people to understand the life cycle so they can take that back into their community. They may realize they need mosquito control involved. We also have an indoor-outdoor beehive and a pollinator garden section. And we have a whole arbovirus section where visitors can become a “detective,” investigating cases on a display screen to determine whether it was West Nile or dengue—identifying where the mosquito was being produced and why people get these viruses.

This interactive approach reinforces an important part of any strategy. I believe that because we are never going to be able to treat every habitat or every potential breeding ground, personal protection and community participation become essential components. We can’t control mosquitoes through surveillance and treatment alone—the scale is simply too large. We depend on residents to maintain their properties, eliminate breeding habitat, and protect themselves.

Priscilla Matton & Todd Duval (Bristol):

We are never going to be able to kill all the mosquitoes that are out there, and we’re never going to reduce risk to zero. Therefore, certain public health measures need to be put in place for personal protection. We’ve come a long way with a lot of public health measures in our lifetime—such as wearing seat belts and sunscreen. I think we can work on having people realize that dumping standing water, wearing repellents, and dressing appropriately are important. One of the things I like to tell our public is that here in Massachusetts, Labor Day is kind of the unofficial end of summer when kids go back to school and parents get their routines set. But really for us, that’s when a lot of the cases happen, so we need to continue with those summer protection pathways.

We also encourage the public to keep an eye on time. When we say mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn, that can vary. In July dusk is around 8:30, but in September it’s more like 5:30 or 6:00. The public doesn’t always consider that. People may be watching a ball game at 4:30 and think “I don’t have to worry about mosquitoes, they’re not out until 8:00 or 9:00 o’clock.” We want people to be mosquito aware all times, especially toward the end of the season. There are times when our interventions aren’t going to be successful or we’re not going to be able to conduct them, so we want people to understand there are things they can do to also protect themselves.

Jason Farned (San Gabriel Valley):

Public participation is essential because mosquito control is a shared responsibility. Prevention remains our most effective tool, and simple habit changes, such as eliminating standing water around the home and protecting against mosquito bites, are the best way to reduce mosquito-borne disease risk. While vector control agencies provide surveillance, treatment, and public education, lasting success depends on community participation.

Our greatest opportunity is helping people understand that preventing mosquitoes from breeding isn’t a one-time action—it’s an ongoing habit that protects not only their household, but their entire community. We can achieve that by engaging community organizations, trusted leaders, and utilizing emerging communication trends to help ensure our message is being reached where the community is.

We thank our expert panel for their contributions. Stay tuned for more insights in our next edition of Vector Vision.