Just call him the “mosquito man.”

Eugene McRoy, environmental health program specialist with the Beaufort County Health Department, spends a good part of his work week trapping and studying those flying pests this time of year.

The health department has trapped mosquitoes throughout the county for six or seven years, according to McRoy, and those efforts have been increased over the last couple years. Six traps are set, from Chocowinity to Pamlico Beach, and McRoy makes the trek twice a week, setting them one day and collecting them the next morning.

The traps are fashioned from heavy duty plastic and are equipped with a battery-powered light and fan; dry ice placed with the trap mimics carbon dioxide emitted by humans, thus attracting mosquitoes to the traps.

Once McRoy collects the traps, they are placed in a freezer. That’s when the real work begins.

“Once they’re all dead, I put them under a microscope at the office and identify each species and keep spreadsheets on the population to see what the trends are,” McRoy said. “There are 50 to 55 species of mosquitoes in Beaufort County and some of them don’t even feed on humans … some just feed on birds or reptiles. We also know certain species can transmit certain diseases.”

Such close monitoring of the mosquito population assists the health department in keeping the public healthy and pest-free. Depending on the weather, the traps are usually first set in April or May and the program continues into October.

“It helps us understand what’s out there, and tells us if the mosquitoes are a problem and what the potential risks may be,” McRoy noted.

In the event of a storm with heavy rains, which often leads to an increase in the mosquito population, such studies could mean financial assistance for the county.

“Keeping these records, having documented proof that mosquito numbers normally go up after a hurricane, means we can get reimbursement through FEMA for extra spraying,” McRoy said.

But it doesn’t take a hurricane to bring mosquitoes out in force, McRoy warned.

“When we get any kind of rain event, go around your yard and do a survey of anything that holds water for a few days,” he said. “That makes a good breeding ground for mosquitoes. It could be flower pots or even old tires.
For now, McRoy said he wouldn’t be surprised to see a rise in mosquito numbers in light of frequent rainy conditions in the county.

And local residents who have questions or concerns about their property need only to call the health department to request assistance.

“Just call us and we’ll come out, look around your property and offer advice,” McRoy said. “A recent caller was having a lot of trouble with mosquitoes and we learned they were breeding them in a drain near their door. We gave them information to alleviate the situation.

*For more information about Beaufort County’s mosquito trapping studies, call 252-946-6048 or visit the health department’s website, www.bchd.net.