109 - Development of Adult Control Activation Thresholds at the Toledo Area Sanitary District

Abstract: Adult mosquito control is the most visible activity conducted by the Toledo Area Sanitary District (TASD). As such, the development of science-based activation thresholds for adult control applications is critical. TASD uses historical surveillance data to increase the objectivity of thresholds. Data is collected at fixed locations for four to seven days per week via New Jersey light traps and gravid traps. Therefore, activation thresholds can be location specific and/or temporally specific. Calculation of activation thresholds differs for nuisance and disease carrying mosquitoes. Nuisance mosquito thresholds solely emphasize mosquito abundance in New Jersey light traps and are calculated with averages. Disease carrying mosquito thresholds are more complicated as vector abundance is available quickly, but is not directly related to viral presence. Statistical models assessing West Nile virus presence and vector abundance are used to establish gravid trap thresholds. Furthermore, these thresholds are variable within a season as the relationship of virus and vector changed over time.