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9.e Mosquito Control annual report under Admin reportN -V R" M" 0% 04 XNER iff N%P%w f-L. MOSQUITO CONTROL DISTRICT Scandia City Administrator Ken Cammilleri 14727 209th Street North Scandia, MN 55073 Dear Ken Cammilleri, Metro Counties Government Center 2099 University Avenue West Saint Paul, MN 55104-3431 (651) 645-9149 — www.mmcd.org RECEIVED Nov 18 2020 CITY OF SCANDIA November 9th, 2020 Enclosed is a summary of work done by the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD) in the Scandia area during the 2020 mosquito control season. 2020 was dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the various challenges it has caused to state and local agencies like MMCD. We have been able to adapt our operations to allow for social distancing and other CDC recommendations and were able to maintain our inspections and mosquito control work with limited interruption. Throughout the season District Staff inspected almost 75,000 breeding sites for mosquito larvae and applied 198,678 acres worth of treatments which is less than the 213,800 in 2019, but more than the 183,000 acres treated in 2018. We also treated 290,126 catch basins in the seven -county metro, which is more than any previous year. Fortunately, there were few mosquito -borne disease cases reported in 2020 in Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported zero cases of West Nile virus as of November 3rd, which would make 2020 the first year with no human cases since the disease was first discovered in the state in 2002. Eastern Equine encephalitis (EEE) is a growing concern in Minnesota with two positive cases found in deceased horses in Aitkin and Benton counties. There were no human cases of EEE in Minnesota. In addition to monitoring and controlling vector mosquitoes, MMCD staff also monitor the distribution of ticks capable of transmitting disease, and work with MDH to provide information designed to reduce the risk of tick transmitted diseases. MMCD employees controlled immature black flies (biting gnats) in small steams and large rivers throughout the metropolitan area. In 2020, 101 black fly larvicide treatments were made to the rivers and streams in the District, more than the 68 treatments completed in 2019. Unlike in 2019, when high river flows delayed treatments significantly, river flows in 2020 remained at normal levels allowing for treatments to be made throughout the season. In May, high adult black fly populations of a small stream species occurred resulting in increased customer calls from certain areas of the District. Adult black fly abundance returned to more tolerable levels after May. We plan to investigate the source of these high adult black fly populations and work towards a solution for 2021. Educating the public is a key objective of MMCD and with limitations placed on us by the COVID-19 pandemic, we adapted by producing several informational videos on our website and social media channels. We encourage you to tell your residents to check them out at MMCD.org. We hope to be back at parades, county fairs, and other community events in 2021! If you have any questions, or would like to meet to discuss our agency's activities, please contact me. Sincerely, Stephen A. Manweiler, Executive Director Phone: (651) 643-8365 // Email: mmcd samQ&mmcd.org LARVAL CONTROL The majority of control done by MMCD targets mosquitoes during their larval stage. Mosquito larvae usually develop in standing water and are most common after a rainfall. Larval control materials are applied via helicopter, backpack, or by hand. Larval Control in Scandia in 2020: Sites Inspected: 77 1 Acres Treated: 8.30 ADULT CONTROL MMCD supplements our larval control program with limited adult mosquito control. Adult control materials are applied via backpack during the day or truck -mounted cold fogger in the evening. Adult Mosquito Control in Scandia in 2020: Sites Inspected: 183 I Acres Treated: 1258.06 DISEASE PREVENTION Controlling the mosquito species that are most likely to spread disease is a top priority for MMCD. Removing containers that could hold stagnant water is critical to reducing the spread. Disease Prevention Activity in Scandia: Tires Removed: 167 1 Catch Basins Treated: 0 Disease Prevention Property Inspections: 12 We encourage residents of the district to call MMCD to report mosquito annoyance, employee or helicopter concerns, request waste tire removal, or for anything else. Customer Calls from Scandia in 2020: 35