What we do
About Us
The effort started in 1952 as residents of the Animas Valley began to form a District for mosquito control. Eight years later, in 1960, the Animas Mosquito Control District (AMCD) was formed by the taxpaying residents.
Before AMCD was voted into existence in 1960, people working in the Animas Valley, in the orchards or fields had to wear bee veils and heavy clothing for protection. Mosquito swarms were so dense at times and in places, that people, pets, livestock and wildlife would nearly suffocate. Rubbing a hand down the neck of a horse would result in solid mosquitoes and blood. A rancher living in the valley then said he watched a herd of cattle run across a field and right through a fence, trying to get away from the clouds of mosquitoes. To fish on the river, people had to build smudge fires to ward off the swarms. Anyone who wasn't here then may not realize how bad the mosquito problem was.
By 1989, a resident growing hay in the Valley said she saw maybe three mosquitoes all summer, and she had been by the river most of the time. Now in 2020, the AMCD crew hears the following statement from residents on a regular basis..... "Mosquito Control? Why do we need mosquito control? There are no mosquitoes". To this we respond "You're Welcome!" The Animas Mosquito Control District has been and continues to be the solution!
Thanks to the pioneers of this District, mosquito abatement has progressed through the years to better fulfill the goals of improving human, animal and ecosystem health. Presently, AMCD focuses on an extensive larvae control program, eliminating mosquitoes in their aquatic habitats before they become a health threat or a nuisance. AMCD is committed to operating in a safe, ecologically sound manner, respecting both the public and private lands that it operates on when carrying out mosquito abatement activities. These services begin as early as February each year and may continue as late as November, depending on weather conditions.
Before AMCD was voted into existence in 1960, people working in the Animas Valley, in the orchards or fields had to wear bee veils and heavy clothing for protection. Mosquito swarms were so dense at times and in places, that people, pets, livestock and wildlife would nearly suffocate. Rubbing a hand down the neck of a horse would result in solid mosquitoes and blood. A rancher living in the valley then said he watched a herd of cattle run across a field and right through a fence, trying to get away from the clouds of mosquitoes. To fish on the river, people had to build smudge fires to ward off the swarms. Anyone who wasn't here then may not realize how bad the mosquito problem was.
By 1989, a resident growing hay in the Valley said she saw maybe three mosquitoes all summer, and she had been by the river most of the time. Now in 2020, the AMCD crew hears the following statement from residents on a regular basis..... "Mosquito Control? Why do we need mosquito control? There are no mosquitoes". To this we respond "You're Welcome!" The Animas Mosquito Control District has been and continues to be the solution!
Thanks to the pioneers of this District, mosquito abatement has progressed through the years to better fulfill the goals of improving human, animal and ecosystem health. Presently, AMCD focuses on an extensive larvae control program, eliminating mosquitoes in their aquatic habitats before they become a health threat or a nuisance. AMCD is committed to operating in a safe, ecologically sound manner, respecting both the public and private lands that it operates on when carrying out mosquito abatement activities. These services begin as early as February each year and may continue as late as November, depending on weather conditions.
Our District
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Since AMCD's founding in 1960, voters have added new sections so that the District now covers almost 50 square miles; from Bakers Bridge to the north (Hwy 550/C.R. 250), Falls Creek to the west (C.R. 204 & 205), west on Hwy 160A to mile marker 80, approximately 5 miles east on Florida Rd. (C.R. 240), south on Hwy 550 to Farmington Hill and approximately 5 miles southwest on La Posta (C.R. 213).
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Abatement Procedures
Please see our "Gallery" for photos
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Surveillance
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AMCD performs routine monitoring of both larval and adult mosquito populations over the course of every mosquito season. This mosquito surveillance is critical to a successful mosquito control program for several reasons:
1. Monitoring changes in mosquito populations 2. Identifying which mosquito species are present 3. Detecting mosquito-borne diseases 4. Determining what control measures need to be conducted |
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Larviciding
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Larviciding is AMCD's principle form of mosquito abatement. The type and amount of larvicide used is dependent upon the mosquito habitat identified. The mosquito habitats throughout the District are mapped, so monitoring and treating these sites can be done on a schedule. When technicians are not monitoring and treating the known mosquito producing habitats, they are looking for new habitats ('standing water') which could have developed due to rain, changes in the river flow, construction, agriculture (irrigation), etc.
Containers in back/front yards often 'breed' mosquito larvae, leading to thousands of unnecessary adult mosquitoes. Residents' self-monitoring of their own neighborhoods often avoids mosquito related problems. |
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Adulticiding
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AMCD uses ultra-low volume (ULV) spraying or fogging. ULV spraying is the process of putting very small amounts of an oraganic adulticide into the air as a fine mist of droplets. These droplets float on the air currents and quickly knock down the adult mosquitoes that come in contact with these droplets. ULV adulticides are applied between sunset and 2 A.M when mosquitoes are most active and people are generally in their homes and bees and other pollinators are typically in their shelters. ULV applications are done when;
Adulticiding only occurs when environmental conditions are favorable for an effective application. Environmental conditions evaluated include wind, precipitation and temperature.
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Identification
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The AMCD Lab identifies larvae and adult flying mosquitoes. We identify mosquitoes each day throughout the season from locally placed traps, and larval samples brought in by the field crew.
The larval identification provides us with a more acurate picture of the species in the District, as some of the species found in aquatic habitats do not make it into the traps. Identifying the adult mosquito species present helps provide us with information we can use to locate mosquito breeding habitats. Many mosquitoes have different breeding habitats, activity (biting) periods and host (blood meal) preferences. It is important to us to know what species are in the area, as some can be disease vectors. Below is a list of mosquito species that have been identified in the AMCD Lab. Most of the species labeled as vectors can be found on the West Nile Virus (WNV) vector list from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), while some can be vectors of a variety of diseases:
AMCD is partnered with San Juan Basin Health (SJBPH) and the Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE). Each season a representative sample of the Culex vectoring mosquito species from our traps are sent to the State lab in Denver for West Nile Virus testing. In 2019, there were 8 WNV positive mosquitoes pools in our District. |
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Trapping
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Trapping entails the use of mosquito traps that are set six days a week from May 1st through September. Traps provide the numbers and locations of adult mosquitoes and a basis for the identification of the species of mosquitoes present in the area. AMCD currently has 17 traps set throughout the District. Monitoring these populations is important because it allows AMCD to track exactly where the larval and adult mosquito populations are rising or falling. This information, when compared to previous weeks or years, provides the knowledge we need in order to identify and predict repetitive, sporadic, or new problem areas, as well as to predict possible increases in the risk of mosquito-borne diseases.
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No Spray / Special Instructions
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No Spray
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AMCD, as a courtesy, keeps a list of residents who do not want any aerial application on their property. This is our 'No Spray' request form and it is required to be updated annually. If residents want to be on this list, or remain on this list, they must contact us to request an updated contract every year.
The 'No Spray' request form is for aerial applications only and does not pertain to larvae control and/or habitat mitigation activities. |
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Special Instructions
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AMCD also keeps a list of 'Special Instruction' properties for those who have any, previously agreed upon, instructions for our field technicians in regards to entering, inspecting and/or treating for mosquito larvae.
For example: 'Dogs in yard' or 'Call before entering' or 'Always include our property when in the area!!' |
Products We Use
Products Used in Aquatic Habitats for Mosquito Larvae Control.
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Natular® is the first and only complete portfolio of larvicides with a naturally derived active ingredient. All formulations, developed and manufactured exclusively by Clarke, contain the active ingredient spinosad, a product derived from a naturally occurring soil bacterium. Natular is the first public health larvicide in the IRAC Class 5 chemical classification, delivering a unique mode of action that works on all four stages of mosquito larvae. This makes it an excellent tool to suppress mosquito populations before they hatch. Natular is like no other larvicide on the market is OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) listed and received the EPA Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award.
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A Methoprene product. Altosid is a growth regulator that breaks the mosquito larvae life cycle. Altosid formulations are labeled for use in known fish habitats. That means they prevent the emergence of breeding, biting adults without upsetting the food chain or impacting non-target species.
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FourStar® Sustained Release 90 Day Microbial Briquets offer mosquito abatement professionals mosquito control without compromise. Formulated with naturally occurring bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti), FourStar® Bti Briquets are environmentally compatible, and are approved for application in areas that contain aquatic life and are in contact with humans and animals. Designed for cost-efficient application, FourStar® Bti Briquets can be applied to known mosquito breeding sites during wet or dry periods ensuring the release of Bti once the area floods. Alternate wetting and drying will not impact the efficacy of the briquet, ensuring effective mosquito control for 90 days or more.
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BVA 2 is a highly refined, petroleum based larvicide oil, used for the control of mosquitoes. When applied evenly over the water surface it rapidly interrupts the air water interface and suffocates the larvae and/or pupae. This quick action makes it an effective larvicide and pupicide for any mosquito control program.
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Products Used Aerially for Adult Mosquito 'Flyer' Control.
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BVA 13 is a light grade petroleum oil that is clear to opaque in appearance, used as a diluent for our mosquito adulticide. It is water white, non-toxic and completely safe to handle and apply. It is specially manufactured to have a high, 99% or more Unsulfonated Residue which assures its purity, stability and odor-free properties. BVA 13 biodegrades into naturally occurring components that pose no threat to the natural environment.
Zenivex® E20 is an oil-based formulation for use in Ultra Low Volume application. Although it doesn't require dilution, it can be diluted with oil. The low odor formulation can be used in hand, ground or aerial applications, requires no aquatic setbacks and is approved for use over crops in rural as well as urban settings. Zenivex® E20 has a very low toxicity profile for mammals and birds, and its dried residues are easy on bee populations. In addition, Zenivex® E20 can be sprayed over cropland. It does not contain Piperonyl Butoxide (PBO), and the oil-based formulation can be used both neat and diluted.
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Geographical Information System (GIS)
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AMCD implements a geographical information system (GIS) using industry standard software known as ArcGIS by ESRI. The mosquito mapping software that overlies the ArcGIS platform is FieldSeeker GIS
The GIS system provides AMCD the ability to map, record, and evaluate abatement activities. Field crews use iPads connected to the GIS system to identify and monitor known areas of concern. Inspection and treatment data is recorded real-time into the iPads and is uploaded into the main database. This allows other field crews and management to track and evaluate daily abatement activities. The GIS system enables the best field crew and public communication in daily prevention and mosquito control activities.
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