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County specialist outlines mosquito and tick surveillance: traps, samples and education emphasized
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Summary
Jason Gates, Franklin County’s mosquito and tick-borne disease control specialist, briefed commissioners on a program funded by a Pennsylvania DEP grant that focuses on surveillance (45%), control (25%), education (15%) and administration (15%); Gates noted roughly 11 truck-sprays per year and 400–450 gravid traps set annually.
Jason Gates, Franklin County’s mosquito and tick-borne disease control specialist, told commissioners his program’s mission is “to reduce the risk of mosquito and tick borne disease through education, surveillance, and control.” He said the program covers Franklin County and also provides services to Huntington, Bedford and Fulton counties and is funded by a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection state grant.
Gates outlined the program mix and workload: roughly 15% administration, 25% control (primarily larval and limited adult control), 15% education and about 45% surveillance. He said the county averages about 11 adult truck sprays per year, far fewer than some larger jurisdictions, and that the program sets approximately 400 to 450 gravid traps per year and takes roughly 200 to 250 dip samples from stagnant water sites each season to detect breeding activity.
On control methods Gates described larval control priorities, citing BTI (a naturally occurring bacterium used against larvae) and said adult truck spraying is reserved for times when nuisance populations make outdoor activity impractical or when mosquito testing reaches virus thresholds. He emphasized the program’s focus on early intervention — finding and treating breeding sites before mosquitoes reach adulthood — and said education efforts target youth and seniors as high-impact groups.
Commissioners asked for personal-protection advice. Gates recommended permethrin treatments for clothing to guard against ticks and DEET-based repellents when people are active outdoors for mosquitoes. He also described surveillance traps that use CO2 (dry ice) and other attractants to catch gravid or nuisance species.
Why it matters: Vector surveillance and targeted control reduce human disease risk and nuisance conditions. Gates presented several operational metrics that help commissioners and the public evaluate program scale and frequency.
What’s next: Gates said the department will increase education and release a behind-the-scenes video and FAQ materials to explain program activities and the spray product the county uses.
