Most people have had an encounter with a flea at some point – the jumping black specks, the small itchy bumps they leave in their wake, and the general feeling of unease due to having a parasite in your home. However, few people understand the biology of fleas and why they invade our homes in the first place.
As of April 27, 2018, there have been 46 dead birds reported in San Mateo County. Of those, 13 have been suitable for testing and two have tested positive (15%) for West Nile virus (WNV). San Mateo and Santa Clara counties are the only counties with positive WNV dead birds (4) thus far this year. No mosquito pools or sentinel chickens have tested positive for West Nile Virus in San Mateo County in 2018.
The nymph stage is the second of three stages in a tick’s life cycle. It is thought that nymphs are the most dangerous stage of ticks because they are more likely to be carrying bacteria that causes a tick-borne disease such as Lyme, and because they are significantly smaller and harder to see than adult ticks. Tick nymphs are most active in the spring months in California and can be found on tree stumps, downed logs, rocks, and in leaf litter.
