News Briefs | March 23, 2022 |
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MVCAC Virtual Legislative Day
Tuesday March 29th and Wednesday March 30th
We hope you can join us for MVCAC’s Legislative Day which will be held virtually on March 29th & 30th. Similar to last year, MVCAC members will be setting up their own virtual appointments. To avoid redundant appointments, a Lead Agency will be in charge of scheduling meetings with legislators and coordinating with other MVCAC members on a first-come, first-served basis. Your advocacy is essential in developing allies and articulating how it is critical for mosquito and vector control districts to have adequate resources in order to protect public health. In addition to building relationships with your legislators we hope that you will thank your representatives for their support of CalSurv. You can discuss the new CalSurv capabilities that were made possible with additional funding and highlight how ongoing support for CalSurv is essential as districts rely on the data to make informed public health interventions especially as invasive Aedes continue to spread throughout the state.
The legislative committee has developed a google site where you can find information about the association’s advocacy initiatives and information for Leg Day including:
- Google sheet with contact information for all of the legislators
- Please only sign up as a Lead Agency if you are willing to schedule the appointment and coordinate with other interested agencies. If someone has already taken the Lead Agency spot, please contact them to coordinate your participation. Please try to schedule all appointments for March 29th or 30th as part of our collective “MVCAC Legislative Advocacy Days,” unless the office is only available on another date.
- We will be adding additional materials to the google site in the coming weeks including:
- Interactive story map to use during your legislative meetings
- Factsheet on the new CalSurv capabilities made possible by the state funding
- Talking points for the legislative meetings
- On the google site you will find:
- Interactive story map to use during your legislative meetings
- Factsheet on the new CalSurv capabilities made possible by the state funding
- Factsheet on state budget request to reduce mosquitoes on managed wetlands
- Talking points for the legislative meetings
- Slide deck from Leg Day training
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MVCAC Spring Meeting
Tuesday April 26th and Wednesday April 27th
Sacramento Holiday Inn Downtown Arena
Hotel Booking Information
Call to book: Use (800) HOLIDAY and refer to group code MVC
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Save the Date!
MVCAC Fall Meeting
November 1-3 (meeting 11/2-11/3)
Visalia Marriott
More information to come!
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Save the Date!
MVCAC Planning Meeting
December 5-7 (meeting 12/6-12/7)
Oakland Waterfront Hotel
More information to come!
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Save the Date!
91st Annual MVCAC Conference
Sunday January 29-Tuesday January 31, 2023
Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim
More information to come!
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Tick Webinar: New Findings in Tick Biology, Ecology and Control |
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From the Entomological Society of America
With an up-“tick” in tick-borne disease cases, it is important to understand tick biology and ecology to manage your risk. Sponsored by the ESA Eastern Branch, "On the Horizon: New Findings in Tick Biology, Ecology, and Control" on Tuesday, May 10 at 2 p.m. ET will feature a panel of tick experts to share their current research on tick biology, ecology, and control. [Learn more, meet the panelists, and register.]
The Eastern USA has had a progressive increase in the incidence of tick-borne disease, especially Lyme disease. This webinar should be of interest to those MVCAC agencies dealing with Ixodes pacificus problems.
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Journal of Medical Entomology Open Access Special Collection: Genetic control of mosquitoes |
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As the MVCAC embarks upon the increasing use of genetic methods for the control of invasive Aedes, it would seem useful to examine the 50 year history of mosquito releases for genetic control using mostly sterile insect techniques [Benedict, MQ. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjab024] as well as novel methods being developed for replacement and suppression of Anopheles and Aedes [Alderman, ZN and BB Kojin. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjab090; Dobson, SL 2021. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjab025; Reid, WR, KE Olson, AWE Franz. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjab030]. These Forum papers critically review the literature thereby providing a useful background for Oxitech’s planned update presentation at the 5th Annual Meeting of the Pacific Southwest Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases (PacVec) to be held April 5-6, 2022 at the Embassy Suites Sacramento Riverfront Promenade.
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Special Collection: Genetic Control of Mosquitoes |
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The Journal of Medical Entomology is pleased to publish a special collection of Forum articles that review active research on how manipulation of the mosquito genome or microbial biome may be utilized to address current issues with controlling mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases.
This collection of five Forum papers discuss the history of release programs and new developments including the use of Wolbachia in California. Relevant to the discussion of the OxiTech program is the paper by Mark Benedict “Sterile Insect Technique: Lessons from the Past” [https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjab024] This article highlights studies that were notable for the insights that were gained, the intrinsic difficulties that mosquitoes present, and synthesizes these into recommendations for successful applications of the sterile insect technique and newer technologies to mosquitoes.
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Newly advertised spatial repellent system for Aedes in the news |
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Thermacell recently has introduced “The Thermacell LIV Smart Mosquito Repellent System [cost $699 for 100 hrs protection] that creates an installed, large area of mosquito protection customized for your outdoor space. This smart system is all you need to enjoy season-long mosquito protection year after year. No batteries, no sprays on your skin. LIV lands in March 2022.” This system apparently can interface with Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant to turn on/off using voice commands. The repellent is not new and is 5.5% metoflutrhrin [C18H20F4O3 ] which is a type I pyrethroid ester approved as a special repellent. Buhagiar et al. (2017) previously evaluated this compound indoors against Ae. aegypti and found 100% repellency and mortality (https://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-017-2219-0).
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Share Your Post COVID-19 Exposure Methods With Us |
MVCAC is looking for member districts to share with us their post COVID exposure methods and logistics. Please email the methods you have in place to mvcac@mvcac.org and we will add them to the COVID-19 page on the MVCAC website.
Thank you!
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MVCAC Member Resources Re: COVID-19 |
MVCAC will be assembling and posting some information and templates of what some Districts have created and shared as they manage their operations. Items like sample document for field staff to carry in addition to their ID to validate status/purpose and actions related to seasonal hires. It will be posted as it becomes available to a new members-only page on the MVCAC website.
Click the button below to login and view.
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In 2021, San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District unveiled a new interactive educational experience titled, “Journey of the Germ.” The project was funded through the Entomological Society of America’s Chrysalis Grant, “to bring students closer to the backyard intersection of entomology and virology.”
As the interactive experience begins, a narrative serves as both foundation and guide through the storylines to instill a message that motivates the students who participate in the storylines to learn and develop solutions. The narration takes the students through the pathway West Nile virus follows as it cycles through the suburban Southern California landscape.
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Submit your district for the next Spotlight On |
Does your agency have a success story, a staff member you would like to publicly recognize, or an innovation by your agency that you would like to highlight? "Spotlight On" on the MVCAC website is one way to share your story! Each submission which meets the specified criteria will be reviewed and posted on the MVCAC website on the Spotlight On page and highlighted on the homepage in the rotating feature box. Each story will remain posted for 1-2 months before being moved to a publicly archived page.
Interested? Click here to fill out an application!
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HR resources for districts to use and to upload information into |
District Managers - Please upload your HR resources and information into this Google Drive along with using it for your own district.
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MVCAC News Briefs - Giant Asian Hornets |
Please note: The items contained below are not the views or opinions of MVCAC but they are what is being reported in the media. The goal of MVCAC providing this information is to keep MVCAC members informed of all news articles that are being presented regarding Giant Asian Hornets.
CSDA Giant Asian Hornets Video:
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MVCAC News Briefs - Zika Updates |
Please note: The items contained below are not the views or opinions of MVCAC but they are what is being reported in the media. The goal of MVCAC providing this information is to keep MVCAC members informed of all news articles that are being presented regarding Zika.
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MVCAC News Briefs - Other Outbreaks |
Please note: The items contained below are not the views or opinions of MVCAC but they are what is being reported in the media. The goal of MVCAC providing this information is to keep MVCAC members informed of all news articles that are being presented regarding other outbreaks.
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Do you have important news to share about your district or mosquito and vector issues? |
If you would like your news to be included in the MVCAC News Briefs, please send press releases and/or links to relevant news articles to mvcac@mvcac.org
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Interested in a career in mosquito and vector control? Check out the MVCAC Jobs Board at www.mvcac.org
Have a Job or RFP to post to MVCAC.org?
Requests to post job listings (no more than 500 words in length) should be submitted to the webmaster at mvcac@mvcac.org.
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MVCAC Sustaining Member Corner |
Note: MVCAC does not endorse the products below, but we do support our Sustaining Members
Central Life Sciences has announced the release of Aqua Zenivex™ E20, a reduced-risk adulticide for mosquito control professionals.
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