June 2022 Newsletter

2021 Annual Report

Would you like to learn more about the District and what District staff do to control mosquitoes and other vectors? Check our our recently completed 2021 Annual Report HERE.

Midges are out

A midge looks very similar to a mosquito. This is a top-down view of a midge, which shows six long legs, a long thin dark body, two light colored wings, and two very fuzzy-looking antennae

Residents of Redwood Shores have been calling in to report swarms of insects. These insects resemble mosquitoes but are actually midges. Midges swarm in large numbers in late spring and early summer and can be a nuisance. Non-biting midges (Chironomidae) do not bite or carry diseases. However, they may be annoying when they are present in large numbers or come inside homes. They are attracted to light and may come indoors. There isn’t an easy way to get rid of midges, but as everything dries up over the next few weeks you should see fewer and fewer of them. In the meantime, you may be able to get some relief by turning off outdoor lights, especially those close to doors and windows. You should also keep your doors and windows screened or closed to keep midges from coming into your home. Bug zappers (blacklight traps) will attract and kill midges, but might end up making things worse by attracting additional midges to the area. Learn more about midges at: https://www.smcmvcd.org/midges

Black icon of a bird lying on its back with feet in the air (meant to represent a dead bird)

West Nile Virus Dead Bird Hotline

The California WNV & Dead Bird Call Center (877-WNV-BIRD; 877-968-2473) is live for summer 2022. Public online reporting at https://westnile.ca.gov/ will also continue.

A top-down view of a yellowjacket. The insect has two black antenna, a body with yellow and black stripes, 6 yellow legs, and two light colored wings.

Yellowjackets and Wasps

During the summer months, the District receives numerous calls regarding yellowjackets and paper wasps. These social wasps both have yellow and black markings and are common in San Mateo County, but they have important behavioral differences.

2023 Service Requests

Total service requests are higher this February than the five-year average (174 requests compared to an average of 119 requests). This difference is mainly because of a residential tick study that the laboratory staff are conducting, which generated 46 tick service requests in January. In a typical year, February will usually have no more than one or two tick service requests. Additionally, both…

2023 Mosquito Surveillance

Adult abundance of all mosquito species are very low, as is consisitent with the five-year average in February. The abundance of adult mosquitoes is expected to remain low until spring.

2021 Annual Report

Midges are out

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