Placer County mosquito district briefs Lincoln council on West Nile surveillance and invasive Aedes

Megan Lovato, public information officer for the Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District, gave the council an annual briefing on vector activity across Placer County and in Lincoln. Lovato described the district's integrated vector management programs — surveillance, chemical control, biological tools (mosquito fish), public and school outreach, drone larval treatments and applied research — and asked residents to report standing water and dead birds.

Lovato said the district received 142 public service requests in April and noted the district produces mosquito fish at its Roseville facility for targeted biological control. She identified Aedes syriensis (western tree‑hole mosquito) and Culex tarsalis (a West Nile virus vector) as species present in Lincoln. Lovato reviewed last season's county West Nile data (one human death, six human cases, 44 positive dead birds and 177 positive mosquito samples) and noted a recent statewide tally of positive dead birds and mosquito samples.

She warned public staff that invasive Aedes mosquitoes — which can carry dengue, Zika and chikungunya — have been detected elsewhere in Roseville and are hard to find and treat. Lovato urged residents to eliminate standing water, use EPA‑registered repellents, maintain window screens and sign up for treatment notifications at plastermosquito.org. Council thanked the presenter and asked staff to coordinate public-notification messaging ahead of planned aerial or ground treatments.

No action was required; the presentation was informational and staff and council discussed notification coordination for treatments.