Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Vector Control topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Marin–Sonoma Mosquito & Vector Control reviews 2024, urges residents to use taxpayer-funded services
Summary
The Marin–Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District presented a 2024 recap to the Larkspur City Council describing surveillance, public education and control work, and reminded residents the service is funded through property taxes (roughly $12–$20 per parcel).
Peter Bonkruid, general manager of the Marin–Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District, told the Larkspur City Council on Feb. 19 that the district recorded a relatively quiet 2024 for West Nile virus and maintained education and control programs across Marin and Sonoma counties.
The district covers roughly 2,300 square miles and about 770,000 residents between Marin and Sonoma counties and is funded by parcel assessments included on property tax bills. “You are every year paying for this service, and this service is available to every resident,” Bonkruid said. A council member added the median parcel cost is about $12 per year, and Bonkruid said assessments range roughly from $12 to $20 depending on location.
The Mosquito and Vector Control District described its principal activities as integrated vector management: surveillance, source reduction, biological control (mosquito fish), targeted chemical control, tick and rodent consultation, yellow-jacket removal and public education. Bonkruid cited 2024 numbers: roughly 6,200 service requests countywide; about 2,500 yellow-jacket nests removed; roughly 500 rodent inspections; 2,800 mosquito service responses; and mosquito fish distributed to about 500 properties. The district’s education specialist visited nearly 300 schools and reached about 7,000 students across both counties.
Bonkruid emphasized the district focuses on species that present disease risk in the region — principally Culex tarsalis and Culex pipiens for West Nile virus — and that about a half-dozen of the 23 local mosquito species are considered a disease risk. He said 2024 had “0 West Nile virus incidences” detected in Marin and Sonoma County mosquito samples and birds, while statewide there were 124 human cases and 12 fatalities. He also noted no St. Louis encephalitis human cases were reported in California in 2024.
The general manager briefed the council on emerging threats: two invasive Aedes species (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus) have spread up the state since about 2011 and are associated with dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever transmission where they establish. “Here’s the good news. We don't currently have Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus in either Marin or Sonoma County,” Bonkruid said, adding these species have been detected in nearby counties and the district runs surveillance to detect introductions.
Bonkruid described several surveillance and innovation efforts: a 3D-printed mosquito trap developed in-house for surveillance and discussion of sterile-insect techniques under trial in other parts of California (Wolbachia-based or irradiation releases of sterile males). He urged residents to use the district’s free services: “You can go to msmosquito.org. You can fill out a service request 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and a technician will come out to help you with your mosquito or vector control issue,” Bonkruid said.
The council did not take any formal action on the presentation. Bonkruid and Gail Blum, the city’s appointed representative to the district board, answered council questions about partnerships with other agencies and the district’s funding sources.
