Health officials say EEE risk high in some areas

A blood-sucking creature that comes at dusk is frightening Vermonters this summer. 

The Vermont Department of Health strongly recommends limiting evening time outdoors in high-risk areas due to the threat of Eastern equine encephalitis. Vergennes, Whiting and Cornwall are at slightly higher risk.

The Otter Creek Watershed Insect Control District Board of Trustees has filled three leadership roles vacated after a wave of resignations last month.

The Otter Creek Watershed Insect Control District Board of Trustees is looking to fill three leadership roles after a handful of former leaders recently resigned from their positions. 

CRAIG ZONDAG, THE Lemon Fair Insect Control District’s field coordinator/biologist, looks through a microscope at an example of one of the more that 25 varieties of mosquitos known to buzz around the member towns of Bridport, Cornwall and Weybridge. WEYBR … (read more)

Summer and wet weather bring mosquitoes, particularly around Lake Dunmore and in the floodplains of the Otter Creek. This is why, in the late 1970s, Art Doty and others formed an Insect Control District to mitigate the mosquitoes.

BRIDPORT — Seven months after one of the buggiest summers on record, Bridport residents are thinking about leaving the insect control district charged with minimizing their local mosquito population. Bridport’s $6,000 annual contribution to the Lemon Fair … (read more)

Wetter-than-normal conditions this summer created more of the pools of stagnant water that the insects use for breeding, resulting in a substantial rise in the region’s mosquito population. 

Mosquitos carrying West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) have been found in Vermont from Alburg to Vergennes, according to the Vermont Department of Health. 

My wife recently pointed out to me that there are 45 known species of mosquitos in Vermont. This summer I think I have interacted with all of them.

Now that it’s not raining every hour of every day (a refreshing change), I’ve been getting outside more. And I’m finding this summer’s mosquito population to be over-represented and extra blood-thirsty.

The heavy rains that hit Addison County this past week are expected to lead to an increase in the region’s mosquito population, according to local insect management officials. 

The organization tasked with keeping mosquitoes in check in the Lake Dunmore and Brandon area is undergoing some changes.

LEICESTER — Members of the board that oversees mosquito control in six area towns held a special meeting at the Leicester Meeting House July 1 to discuss plans for the insect control district’s relationship with the town of Salisbury. But they didn’t make … (read more)

LEICESTER/SALISBURY — Salisbury will no longer be sprayed for mosquitos by the Brandon Leicester Salisbury Goshen & Pittsford Insect Control District (BLSG), which voted at a meeting last Thursday night to suspend the town’s services starting July 1, the … (read more)