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Mosquitoes,�Our Community �and You

Ms. Tran

Education Coordinator

Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District

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Expectations

Expectations

Summer Programs

Be Kind Be Helpful Be Curious

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As mosquito scientists,

we will study mosquitoes

and discover how to

stay safe from mosquitoes!

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What is a vector?

A vector is an animal that can make people sick, uncomfortable, or injured.

What is a vector?

Summer Programs

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Top Vectors in Orange County

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What is vector control?

Our goal = public health

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We keep the community healthy by controlling vectors that spread disease.

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Mosquitoes in the World

There are 3,500 species of mosquitoes in the world.

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Where are mosquitoes NOT found?

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Mosquitoes in Orange County

  • There are 26 species of mosquitoes in Orange County
  • Two mosquitoes of greatest concern are Aedes mosquitoes and Culex mosquitoes.

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Aedes mosquitoes

  • Black with white stripes: “zebra mosquitoes”
  • Aggressive daytime biters
  • Prefer to bite humans
  • Bite low on the body (legs, ankles, feet)
  • Spread diseases--dengue fever, yellow fever, chikungunya, Zika virus
  • Lay eggs in containers
  • Eggs can stay dry for years

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Aedes mosquitoes like to lay eggs in containers.

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Culex mosquitoes

  • Small and brown
  • Bite at night, dusk and dawn
  • Prefer to bite birds
  • Can spread West Nile virus
  • Lay eggs in standing water in “rafts”

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Common Culex breeding sources

(larger water sources)

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Flood channel

Backyard pond

Dirty swimming pool

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The mosquito life cycle has four stages (complete metamorphosis).

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It takes only one week to complete the life cycle in warm water.

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  • What stages do you see?
  • What characteristics and behaviors do you notice?

OBSERVE

LIFE STAGES

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Life Cycle B-I-N-G-O

I see something in the water.

I think it’s an egg raft.

E-GG R-A-F-T, E-GG R-A-F-T, E-GG R-A-F-T,

Egg raft in the water.

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Life Cycle B-I-N-G-O

I see something in the water.

I think it’s a larva.

L-A-R-V-A, L-A-R-V-A, L-A-R-V-A

Larva in the water.

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Life Cycle B-I-N-G-O

I see something in the water

I think it’s some pupae.

P-U-P-A-E, P-U-P-A-E, P-U-P-A-E

It’s pupae, it’s not poopy!

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Life Cycle B-I-N-G-O

I see something in the air.

Look! It’s a mosquito!

Please, don’t suck my blood! Please, don’t suck my blood! Please, don’t suck my blood!

I don’t want to get bitten.

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What is the world’s deadliest animal?

Which animal kills the most humans every year?

What makes an animal deadly?

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Activity Answers:

Deadliest to Least Deadly

  1. Mosquito
  2. Human
  3. Snake
  4. Lion
  5. Shark

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Discomfort

Disease

Death

Mosquitoes may cause ____________.

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How do mosquitoes affect humans?

  • Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on Earth.
  • On average, mosquitoes kill 725,000 people every year by spreading diseases.

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  • Dengue and malaria are the most common diseases worldwide that mosquitoes spread.
  • West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne disease in the United States.

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How do people get West Nile Virus?

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West Nile Virus

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Let’s sing about

West Nile virus!

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Discomfort

Disease

Death

Mosquitoes may cause ____________.

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The Community

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Infected Birds

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Infected Mosquitoes

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Set up the box and plate between you and your partner.

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Place well plate above game board.

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Twist clear cap to open.

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Mosquito bites infected bird.

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With the mosquito pipette:

  1. Squeeze and hold
  2. Dip proboscis in
  3. Release the squeeze
  4. Lift up

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How many infected mosquitoes do we have?

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Be the infected mosquito by biting humans and animals closeby.

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Add two drops for each bite.

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Again…

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Infected mosquito bites humans and animals closeby.

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Repeat for all infected mosquitoes.

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Infected mosquito bites humans and animals closeby.

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Who did not become infected? Why not?

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Let’s watch the Culex mosquito life cycle up close!

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I can protect myself from mosquitoes by ______ .�

keeping water clean

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      • pools
      • fountains
      • birdbaths
      • ponds
      • pet water bowls

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Let’s watch a mosquitofish eat some larvae!

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Demo: How do adult mosquitoes find us?

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Keep those mosquitoes outside where they belong!

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I can protect myself from mosquitoes by ___ .

staying inside at dusk and dawn (AKA mosquito time)

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Sometimes getting rid of water is not enough.

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Sometimes getting rid of water is not enough.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

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Take action: Talk to your neighbors!

If you are getting bitten, they probably are too!

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I can protect myself from mosquitoes by ______ .

calling OC Vector

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Let’s put it all together

on a tree map!

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Congratulations!��You are smart and powerful.��You can make a difference in your neighborhood!

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