No West Nile found in Cibola County

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — “So far, so good,” as the saying goes. This is the first year in several that no mosquitoes were found to have the West Nile virus in Cibola County this late in the 26 week season.

The season is not over yet, but Cibola County Public Works Director Jimmy Chavez said he is optimistic that none will be found with the virus before the county ends its vector control spraying program in mid-October.

“We’ve been really aggressive this year,” he said.
“Every year we learn more about what to do and how to do it (anti-mosquito spraying), and we think we have it (West Nile virus) almost eradicated,” he said.

Chavez said he would like to be optimistic about another aspect of West Nile, that his crews could stop spraying at some point, but he said that will probably never happen.

“We will probably have to continue to spray forever to keep the virus from coming back,” he said.

Chavez was out taking photos of pools of standing water — which is where mosquitoes lay their eggs, to record what areas had been sprayed this year — when he talked with the Independent.

“We targeted standing water this year, much more than we have in the past,” he said.

“Standing water is where mosquitoes lay their eggs and it is much easier to get them while they are in the larvae stage, than before they take to wing.”

He said larvaciding is done late at night and in the early morning hours and is complete by 6 a.m.

“The larvacide mist we use becomes ineffective during warmer daylight hours,” he said.

Last year 2,370 mosquitoes were sent to the state for testing and one tested positive for West Nile.

This year, a similar number will be sent by the time the season is over in mid-October. The season ends with the first overnight freeze, which kills the majority of the adult mosquitoes and only those mosquitoes which are in the larvae stage and able to hibernate and then emerge in the spring.

Chavez said mosquitoes start taking to overgrown weeds and areas like tires when darkness begins to fall.

“Old tires in yards on private property are the most difficult areas for us,” he said.

Mosquitoes lay eggs in the standing water in the old tires, which are almost always on private property, and by law, county employees cannot go there.

“I would urge anyone with old tires laying around to get rid of those to help with the mosquito problem,” he said.
Every year the hottest areas for mosquito activity are along the Rio San Jose, just east of the old mortuary by Blake’s Lotaburger on Santa Fe Avenue to just past the Corley car dealership, and the Mount Taylor Addition.

Information: (505) 285-2570.
To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 285-4560 or e-mail: jtiffin.independent
@yahoo.com.