San Mateo County Mosquito & Vector Control District

The District laboratory has received an unusual number of reports of dead pine siskins, a small migratory songbird. The cause of this mortality is currently unknown but one likely possibility is Salmonellosis, a disease caused by Salmonella bacteria. Previous outbreaks of Salmonella among Pine Siskins have occurred in California during the winter of 2012-13, 2015, and 2016.

Silverfish don't bite and don't carry disease, but they can damage items in your home. They love humid places, so keeping your home as dry as possible is the best way to keep them from moving in.

Winter and spring are tick season here in San Mateo County. Vector ecologist Tara collected all these ticks on trails at a local park. If you'll be spending time outdoors in tick habitat, don't forget to dress defensively, use an EPA-registered repellent, and check for ticks!

If our new vector ecologist looks familiar, it's because she worked as in intern in our lab a few years ago. Welcome back, Arielle!

Got pests? 'Bug bombs' or foggers aren't always the best solution, and can be harmful if used improperly. http://bit.ly/2L1zA2e

Happy New Year! Our office will be closed today (Friday, Jan. 1st).

We knew raccoons wore those masks for a reason! Here's your reminder to trim trees away from your roof line, secure your chimney with a cap, and seal up any other openings where animals may be able to get inside.

Even as the weather starts to cool down, mosquitoes and ticks are still biting. Protect yourself from bug bites by using EPA-registered insect repellent when spending time outdoors.

Wildlife is a natural part of our environment, but wild animals aren't pets. Feeding or handling them can cause them to develop behaviors that can put people, pets, and even themselves at risk. - Don't feed wild animals - Eliminate food sources on your property; store garbage properly and feed pets indoors - Contact animal control or a wildlife rehabber if you see an animal that needs help... - Keep your distance when you see wildlife, and keep pets and kids away See more

If you use a fireplace during the winter, you've probably started storing wood for the winter. Woodpiles can provide great habitat for rats, so remember to store wood at least 18" off the ground and 12" from walls or fences.

Hearing about efforts to attach a tracking device to an Asian giant hornet makes us glad that we don't need to track mosquitoes to stop them - finding the standing water is enough!

Make your Halloween less spooky this year and protect yourself from the original vampires- mosquitoes!

Mountain lions are some of the largest wildlife that enter neighborhoods, but the advice is the same as for other wildlife trouble: don't feed them (by attracting deer or other animals to your yard) and give them plenty of space.

Fall is here and Halloween is right around the corner, but mosquito season isn't over just yet! Keep checking your yard for standing water and removing items that can fill with water when it finally rains.

Raccoons can cause all kinds of mischief around your home, but this particular problem has a solution

Mosquitoes don't know it's fall, and neither does the weather lately. If you're noticing mosquitoes around your home, give us a call. We can help you locate the source of the problem before any more mosquitoes emerge. www.smcmvcd.org/help

What's so special about special districts, anyway? These finalists for the #DistrictsMaketheDifference Student Video Contest make it easy to understand. Which one is your favorite? We love them all!

The Dead Bird Hotline is closed for the season, but don't worry - you can still report dead birds for WNV testing online at http://westnile.ca.gov/report.php

In case you missed it: the October newsletter is now available online.

Joining us for the Board of Trustees meeting tonight? It will be held at 6pm. All Board of Trustees and committee meetings will be held remotely via Zoom until further notice.