“Knowing what’s happening in the mosquito population can help communities spray strategically to minimize the West Nile virus risk,” according to mosquito expert Michael Hildreth, a biology professor at South Dakota State University. Since 2003, he has helped the South Dakota Department of Health with statewide mosquito surveillance for West Nile virus. People notice the nuisance mosquitoes that come out early in the season, but the Culex tarsalis mosquito, which carries West Nile, is active later in the season and later in the evening, Hildreth explained. Though Culex numbers have been low so far, the researcher expects that to pick up in July. His research team maintains mosquito traps in Brookings, South Dakota, and sends any Culex tarsalis to the South Dakota Department of Health which tests them for West Nile virus.

Hildreth can talk about the differences between Culex tarsalix and other mosquitoes and what he has learned through monitoring mosquito populations for more than a decade. He can be reached at on his cell phone at 605-691-9073 or at [email protected].

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