News Briefs | August 31, 2022

Happy Labor Day! In honor of the holiday our offices will be closed on Monday, September 5, 2022. Have a safe and happy holiday!

MVCAC Fall Meeting
November 1-3 (meeting 11/2-11/3)
Visalia Marriott
 
Plan on joining us for the 2022 Fall meeting in Visalia! The Delta Mosquito and Vector Control District is celebrating their 100 year anniversary, and are welcoming guests to come see their district on Tuesday November 1st (the day of arrivals for the fall meeting).
If you are interested, please indicate your interest on this google form: https://forms.gle/nR1nSLHcW7tXcv7U8.
There is also a possibility of a on your own group dinner, also included on the form.

Click here to login and view the draft agenda.

Hotel Information:
Booking dates: October 28 – November 5, 2022
Deadline to book: Friday, October 7, 2022
Room rate: $149/night
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

Click here to view the draft agenda

Hotel Information:
Room rate is $269/night plus taxes
Book your rooms here
Please note: Disneyland hotel will be abiding by the MVCAC policy of charging a first nights non refundable deposit upon making your reservation.
MVCAC will be getting discounted tickets for attendees, ticket sales will not open until September 29th and will be available on the same link as the booking link.

Exhibitor/Sponsor Information:
Click here to download the Exhibitor Prospectus
REGISTER ONLINE
REGISTER BY MAIL, EMAIL, FAX
MVCAC Annual Outrunning Mosquitoes 5k Fun Run/Walk 
Sunday January 29, 2023 | 2 PM | Start at Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim CA 

Join us for our annual Outrunning Mosquitoes 5 K, this year around the Disneyland area! Family members welcome (must be signed up) and costumes encouraged! Adult entry fee includes a race shirt, drink ticket at the opening reception and coveted awards for various categories! Children will receive a souvenir.
REGISTER ONLINE
REGISTER BY MAIL, EMAIL, FAX

Workshop: Insect Photography on February 1, 2023, 1-4 PM

Want to take better pictures of insects but don’t know what to do? Bring your cameras to the workshop hosted by the MVCAC Laboratory Technologies Committee and Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control (OCMVCD). Workshop topics will include the fundamentals of photography and how to take pictures of insects. There will be time for hands on experiences with live insects and demo camera equipment. Representatives from Olympus will be demonstrating their gear. Space will be limited. All camera types are welcome!


About the speaker: Dr. Megan Asche is an entomologist and macro photographer from Blaine, WA. She is an alumna of Washington State University and works for the USDA as an insect identifier. Megan has been an active member of the Entomological Society of American (ESA) since 2015. Currently, she holds multiple positions within the association, including:

  • Editor of the photography showcase “Through the Loupe” for American Entomologist magazine
  • Board member for American Entomologist magazine
  • ESA’s “World of Insects” Calendar committee member


Registration is open to the first 35 participants. Attendees will be bussed to and from the Disneyland Hotel and the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District in Garden Grove. Snacks will also be provided. Registration available on the conference registration form. 

REGISTER ONLINE
REGISTER BY MAIL, EMAIL, FAX
COVID-19:
Currently, there are no health mandates regarding COVID-19 in effect in California or Orange County regarding indoor events. The MVCAC Conference will follow any COVID health mandates that are in affect in Orange County (or California if it supersedes county orders) during the time of our conference. To see Orange County’s current COVID-19 information, please follow here.
You may also follow information from CDPH here.
 
If any changes occur, we will inform members as we learn the information.  
MORE INFORMATION
MVCAC 91st Annual Conference
Call to Present a Poster and William E. Walton Poster Competition
Applications for the 2022 Poster Session and the inaugural William E. Walton Poster Competition will be accepted through Monday, October 3, 2022. The objective of the competition is to recognize exceptional poster presentations in the field of mosquito and vector control research and operations in honor of the late Dr. William (Bill) E. Walton who was passionate about and committed his career to entomology and vector ecology. This application is for all poster submission, interested applicants for the Walton Competition must opt-in to the competition on the application.  

Click here to view the poster presentation guidelines and to apply.
2022 William C. Reeves New Investigator Award Applications Due 10/3/22
Applications for the 2022 William C. Reeves New Investigator Award will be accepted through Monday, October 3, 2022. The William C. Reeves New Investigator Award, memorializing Dr. William C. Reeves, who was a renowned University of California entomologist, is sponsored by the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (MVCAC). The award is presented to the best scientific paper submitted and presented at the annual MVCAC conference. The Reeves New Investigator Award application differs from the MVCAC Call for Papers, if you have an additional speaking topic for the Call for Papers, please follow that application and guidelines. 
 
Please click here for more information.
MVCAC 91st Annual Conference
Call for Papers and Presentations

The Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (MVCAC) will hold its 91st Annual Conference January 29-February 1, 2023 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, CA. This year’s conference will focus on “Innovative Control Technologies for the Future”. With this in mind, we hope you will consider submitting a paper that will be considered for presentation at the conference.


Presentations should be related to mosquitoes or other vectors, the disease organisms they transmit, or their surveillance and control. Presentations may be about research results, the development and testing of new methods, equipment or products, education, community outreach and the adaptation or development of new technology relating to vector research, surveillance or control, or the administration of a vector control agency.

If you are interested in presenting a paper, please complete the attached “Request to Present a Paper” form. An extended abstract is REQUIRED for all presentations and posters. Abstracts may be made available to participants before or at the conference and will appear in the Proceedings and Papers of MVCAC. After the conference, presenters will be asked to replace their abstract with a paper for publication in the Proceedings. 

With limited time for presentations, final scheduled oral presentations will be at the discretion of the Program Committee. 


Presenters will be notified by October 28, 2022 if they are accepted as a speaker and be given the time allotted for their presentation. 


All presenters must register for the conference and are responsible for registration and arranging their own travel. 


Deadline for submission of the completed “Request to Present a Paper” form is Monday, October 3, 2022. Requests received after the deadline may not be accepted.


Learn more and submit your request to present a paper online today.


Click here to view the draft conference agenda

Upcoming Events
Save the Date!
MVCAC Planning Meeting
December 5-7 (meeting 12/6-12/7)
Oakland Waterfront Hotel
 
More information to come!
Trustee Representation Sought
Each year, a trustee representative is elected to sit on the MVCAC Board of Directors. This position is an active part of the board of directors, working with other dedicated trustees in the state to continue providing their voice to the association.
 
If you are interested in fulfilling this position, please reach out to Peter Bonkrude, Immediate Past President of MVCAC and Nomination Chairperson by September 5, 2022. He will compile a list and have eligible names ready for the ballot by the fall. The position would begin January 1 and conclude December 31st. The trustee representative will be expected to attend all board meetings (both live and virtually) and has a vote in the association. They are also responsible for shaping the Trustee session during the MVCAC Annual Conference.
 
Peter can be reached by email pbonkrude@shastamosquito.org and by phone 530-365-3768

PR Committee: Housing-Related Toolkit

Now Available

The PR committee has assembled a housing-related toolkit to assist MVCAC members with education and outreach. The toolkit includes a social media content calendar with graphics and videos (in Spanish and English), a sample outreach email to send to homeowners associations and sample newsletter content. There are also flyers in English, Spanish, Korean, and Chinese which can be customized with district’s logos. All of these materials are in the MVCAC PR Resources google drive which has a wealth of materials and photos for MVCAC members to use.

Meritorious Service Award, Honorary Member Award and Service with Distinction Award Nominations Now Open
It's Nomination time! Nominations are now open for MVCAC's Meritorious Service Award, Honorary Member Award and the Service with Distinction Award. All nominations must be received in the MVCAC office by September 12th so they may be included on the ballot to all the member districts, or adequate ad hoc committees may be appointed (for Service with Distinction).
 
Award Criteria:
  • Honorary Membership- for any person who has rendered exceptional, distinguished service in the interest of mosquito or vector control in the state of California
  • Meritorious Service- for any member or nonmember who have made special and significant contributions to the field of mosquito control in the State of California or elsewhere
  • Service with Distinction- may be conferred on those who have made a significant contribution to fulfilling the mission of the Association. They must meet the following criteria: Made exceptional professional or voluntary service in support of the advancement and continued excellence of the Association; have earned national or international distinction for their services in the subject of mosquito and vector control; have made a significant contribution to any local community within the jurisdiction of their agency and focused on mosquito and vector control.

Honorary and Meritorious Service requires 5 letters from district managers in support of their nomination.
Service with Distinction nominations can come from any MVCAC member
 
For all award nominations, a list of the individuals qualifying accomplishments and achievements must also be received with the nomination letter.
 
Please submit nominations via email to mvcac@mvcac.org or fax at 916-444-7462 attn: Award Nominations. Ballots for Honorary and Meritorious Service will be sent out after September 14th, with a due date before the Fall meeting in November.
 
Please do not hesitate to contact the MVCAC office if you have any questions!
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!
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.
LEARN MORE
Grandmother Mosquito: A new education tool for OCMVCD

Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District (OCMVCD/District) considers education an essential function of vector control. The challenge is in making a lasting impression. The District values all the interactions and educational opportunities with the public, both online and in-person. The challenge is how to keep mosquito control in people’s minds, beyond a fleeting interaction.

The idea of a children’s book seemed perfect for keeping mosquito control in people’s working memory. Children love books and for many families, shared reading is a nightly ritual. A typical habit of many children is to reread books over and over. As children hear stories, they internalize the message of the story. Parents who read with their child also learn as they read.
Read More
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!

Applications can be submitted to the MVCAC office at mvcac@mvcac.org
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.

Click here to access the Google Drive.

Estimating Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Flight Distance: Meta-Data Analysis

Posted by Vector and Vector-borne Disease Committee

August 30, 2022


Thomas C Moore, Heidi E Brown



Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA


Journal of Medical Entomology, Volume 59, Issue 4, July 2022, Pages 1164–1170, https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjac070


Abstract [shortened]: To generate a more robust estimate of Ae. aegypti flight distance, we conducted a meta-data analysis with the aims 1) to provide a flight distance measurement and 2) investigate how mosquito flight range can be affected by study design and climatic factors. Published studies were retrieved from public databases and reviewed for mean distance traveled (MDT) or maximum distance traveled measurements of Ae. aegypti. Linear regression was used to assess potential relationships between Ae. aegypti flight distance and factors pertaining to climate, degrees of urbanization, and study design. MDT estimates were pooled from 27 experiments to calculate a weighted MDT of 105.69 m. This study addresses the average flight distance of Ae. aegypti with the intention of informing vector control programs in Ae. aegypti prevalent regions of the world.


Comment: This review incorporates published data to provide a global estimate of flight range, a parameter critical in understanding potential virus transmission patterns and establishing protocols for containment around imported cases. Although this information was focused on females, male dispersal data establishes possible infiltration rates into areas treated with the releases of genetically altered males for control. 

News Headlines
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.



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.


August 28, 2022: First West Nile virus cases reported in Antelope Valley - Antelope Valley Press

August 27, 2022: LA County Announces First Human Cases Of West Nile Virus - The Los Angeles Patch


August 26, 2022: Fresno County health officials report 9 human cases of West Nile Virus - ABC30

August 25, 2022: LA County reports 1st cases of West Nile virus in humans for 2022 - ABC7

August 25, 2022: West Nile Virus numbers rising in Fresno County - MSN


August 24, 2022: West Nile Virus Surge Detected In Cupertino - The Cupertino Patch

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
MVCAC Jobs Board
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) may be submitted by MVCAC members via this web form (Note: you will need to login to access this form). Non-Members are asked to submit listings to the webmaster at mvcac@mvcac.org.
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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