GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — While mosquitoes and ticks are present every summer here in West Michigan, this summer is proving to be one of the busiest.
To monitor diseases and trends within mosquito populations, Kent County works to trap mosquitoes in certain areas. Supervising sanitarian, Brendan Earl has been doing it for over 10 years and, he's never seen it like this.
“I can confidently say that this has been one of the worst mosquito seasons so far on record," said Earl.
Setting up traps throughout the county allows the health department to keep an eye on the possibility of vector-borne diseases. Diseases that result from an infection that are transmitted to humans by blood-feeding insects.
As of June, West Nile Virus has been detected in Kent County.
"We got positive mosquito pools for West Nile Virus in mid-June. And we don't usually get them to late July," explained Earl.
It's almost simple math. With the milder winters and the earlier springs we are having, come early seasons for bugs. "With it being warmer quicker this year, that's, that many more different generations of mosquitoes that can happen," said Earl.
The mosquito uptick also brings ticks.
Emily Dinh, a medical entomologist for Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services is a tick expert. “Over the decades and years, that tick (deer tick), has been distributed or being found in virtually most of the state by now," explained Dinh.
The black-legged tick, better known as the deer tick, has been overstaying its welcome during Michigan's milder winters. Especially, in places that usually, never see ticks.
"Over the past five years, especially in the Western Peninsula, around like Dickinson, Iron County, all those Western up counties, the incidence of those diseases per I think of 100,000 people, has doubled over just the last five years," said Dinh.
Those diseases, are thanks to the growing mosquito and tick populations.
While West Nile, Zika Virus, and Lyme disease surely do sound and, are scary. Kent County's health department ensures you shouldn't be afraid to go outside this summer.
"It's just something that people should be aware of, you know. When you get bit by a mosquito say, 'Hey, you know, I gotta go in, put on long sleeves, long pants, or, hey, I gotta go with my bug repellent and spray myself and treat myself,'" emphasized Earl.
Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube
