CANYON COUNTY — Neighbors in the north end of Canyon County near Market Road noticed mosquitoes near their property and put in a service request with the mosquito abatement district. It wasn't long before inspection teams found positive West Nile.
"Our larvacide crews did find the area, just a small 10x10 area in a field that had some tire tracks in it that the water collected in and that's where it was found," said district director of Canyon County Mosquito Abatement District Ed Burnett.
West Nile is only carried by a few species of mosquitoes, so when crews find those breeds, they know they pose a risk. These samples sent to the bureau of laboratories in Boise confirmed the mosquitoes were positive for West Nile.
Now abatement districts are putting out a warning to watch your water usage closely.
"Maybe a teaching moment to people to watch your irrigating, watch your overwatering, because it doesn't take much the water was only a couple inches deep," said Burnett.
It doesn't even take a nearby body of water, just a small build-up.
"We've seen mosquitoes that are actually producing in the grass, in lawns," said Burnett.
The mosquito abatement districts set traps every evening, using dry ice to attract mosquitoes, which are then sucked into a chamber. The results can show if mosquitos are carrying diseases, but watching your water is the easiest way to stay in the clear.
"The chances of getting bit by an infected mosquito, for one thing, are not really super high, I mean there's a possibility, but why take those chances," said Burnett.
For more information on West Nile virus, click here . You can also find out what's happening locally here.
