At the Onondaga County Health Department (OCHD), we are dedicated to keeping our community safe from mosquito-borne illnesses. OCHD staff actively monitor mosquito populations for viruses that may impact human health.

 

This page provides information about OCHD’s mosquito testing and trapping process as well as access to local mosquito data. To jump to the data, click here.

 

Trapping and Testing
During times of year when mosquito populations are active (summer through early fall) OCHD staff set up and maintain mosquito traps in 19 different sites across Onondaga County. Mosquitos are collected from trap sites weekly. They are then counted and grouped by mosquito type. The count of mosquitos collected in a specific week may vary based on weather conditions in the areas surrounding trap sites. The total number of mosquitos trapped in a specific year also varies depending on climate conditions such as temperature, humidity, and rainfall. Over the last 5 years, an average of 117,000 mosquitos have been trapped per year.

Once mosquitos are trapped, they are grouped into “pools” to be sent to the New York State Department of Health for virus testing. One pool contains approximately 10-60 mosquitos from a specific species. Each week up to 50 pools are sent for testing. A pool is considered positive even if only one mosquito in the pool is detected with the virus.

 

The New York State Department of Health tests for more than 10 types of mosquito-borne viruses. West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) are of particular concern in Onondaga County as they have become more frequently detected in local mosquito populations in recent years and have implications for human health.

 

Learn more about WNV and EEE using the resources below:

New York State Department of Health
West Nile Virus
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)

 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
West Nile Virus
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)

 

 

Local Mosquito Data
Results from mosquito surveillance activities in Onondaga County are displayed in the visuals below. Visuals are updated regularly throughout the mosquito surveillance season (summer through early fall).