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: weedandpest@adacounty.id.gov.
The ACMAD surveillance program was designed as a proactive measure to locate areas of disease concentration, as well as mosquito population abundance. Effective surveillance aids in predicting emergency situations, and provides an opportunity for vector management 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 is regularly updated to pinpoint areas in the Treasure Valley where mosquitoes identified as West Nile virus carriers have been located. To stay informed on current mosquito abatement activity in Ada County, click our online Mosquito Tracker to view daily mosquito trap findings and surveillance site locations.
Physical Control Remediation implements long-term solutions for controlling mosquito breeding habitats. The primary goal of the Ada County Mosquito Abatement District is to control mosquitoes by preventing them from breeding. 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 breeding 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 reduce breeding sources by removing debris and vegetation and by pumping and/or filling sources, which eliminates or reduces mosquito breeding habitat.
Larviciding is the first priority of mosquito control. The goal is to kill mosquito larvae before they mature into adult mosquitoes. The process involves chemically treating mosquitoes at the larvae stage of their life cycle using the biological pesticide BTI (Bacillus thuringiensis israelenis). The bacteria in BTI targets mosquito larvae in infested bodies of water. The bacteria produces protein crystals that stunt the growth of mosquito larvae to prevent the larvae from maturing into flying adults. BTI has selective action, meaning only mosquitoes, black flies and some midges are susceptible to this particular control agent. Aquatic animals and other insects are unaffected by BTI applications.
Alternatively, another larviciding treatment affects mosquitoes in the pupae and larvae stage of development. 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. 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 mosquitos when they are most active.
Adulticiding crews use Envion, a product registered by the EPA for use in Public Health Mosquito Abatement programs. Studies indicate that when used as directed, Envion poses 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. Envion can also be toxic to honeybees, another prime reason why fogging is not conducted during daytime hours when bees are most active. Envion dissolves in six hours and all traces are gone by sunrise.
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.
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.
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: weedandpest@adaconty.id.gov.