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Minnesota mosquito forecast: Control efforts underway
It’s that time of year when mosquitoes are starting to make a comeback. Metropolitan Mosquito Control District crews are out and about in the Twin Cities checking mapped wetlands for developing mosquito larvae.
OAKDALE, Minn. (FOX 9) - It is that time of year when mosquitoes are starting to make a comeback.
The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD) crews are out and about preparing for the season. FOX 9 got a behind-the-scenes look as the East Region team began dipping in Oakdale.
Season outlook up in the air
The backstory:
MMCD brings in about 200 seasonal staff members every year because their teams have a lot of ground to cover.
MMCD Public Affairs Manager Alex Carlson says after experiencing last year’s record-breaking year for West Nile Virus cases, crews will be extra vigilant this year.
"One of our big concerns is last year was actually a record year in Minnesota for West Nile Virus. Just in the Twin Cities there were over 50 cases, which was the most by a significant amount," said Alex Carlson, MMCD’s Public Affairs Manager.
"So, this year we want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to prevent those, and one of those ways we do that is by removing their habitat, which is those human-made habitats."
What they're saying:
Regional Operations Manager Josh Madetzke and Field Operations Supervisor Kathy Beadle from MMCD’s East Region showed FOX 9 the work technicians have started this past week. We met them at a wetland in Oakdale on Wednesday to talk about the work that they do and the outlook for the season.
"We’re going out with a dipper and looking for mosquito larvae. We go out into the swamps and wetlands, searching for these larvae. So that we can treat them with the material to kill them," said Josh Madetzke, MMCD’s Regional Operations Manager for the East Region.
"As soon as the ice melts, mosquito larvae hatch. They stay in the water because their metabolism is slow, so they’ll be in here for a while, giving us time to get out and treat them."
The teams collect the larvae in vials and send them to a lab for testing.
"We’re looking for the ones that bite humans. Our lab identifies them and lets us know if we can treat them," said Madetzke.
MMCD says overall mosquito activity depends on rainfall.
"We’re kind of predicting a somewhat normal mosquito season with a surge around the Fourth of July," said Kathy Beadle, MMCD’s Field Operations Supervisor.
What we know:
MMCD says although long-term trend predictions are difficult to make, they can make a few projections based on surveillance and models. They expect cattail mosquitoes, the species responsible for the mid-summer surge, will be active again this year.
They also suspect deer tick nymphs may have a higher prevalence of Lyme disease in 2026. They are most active in May and June.
What you can do:
Metro mosquito control recommends preparing for mosquito season now in the spring. Make sure you have bug spray, put flea and tick preventative measures on your pets, and check your property for sources of standing water.
What's next:
You may see helicopters in your area or crews with those bright neon vests doing treatments as soon as this week.
The agency reminds everyone the treatment they drop is safe for the public and pets.
"We are dropping materials that are very safe for the public, for pets, for pollinators. They’re very specific to mosquito larvae, so there’s not a risk. If you see a drone or helicopter and you’re in the vicinity, it’s not a liquid spray, or it’s not something that like that can get on you. And the materials do go in the water are very specific and not harmful to the general public," said Carlson.
"It’s a safe, effective way to control mosquito larvae, while not harming pollinators and wildlife and things like that."