Mosquito Abatement Bikers aka MAB
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 8, 2010
Contact
Jeff Blackford, Program Coordinator Environmental Health
(217) 531-2919
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Mosquito Abatement Bikers aka MAB
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Assists with Mosquito Prevention and Abatement
Champaign, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) has teamed with the City of Champaign, City of Urbana, and the Village of Savoy to help reduce mosquitoes in a very unique way, with Mosquito Abatement Bikers (MAB).
Mosquito Abatement Bikers ride a bicycle throughout Champaign, Urbana, and Savoy dispensing larvicide treatment in catch basins on city property. All MAB employees received bicycle safety training, pesticide training, and obtained an operator license through the Illinois Department of Agriculture before they started any applications. All larvicide and application equipment is carried in a backpack while the bikers travel along their assigned treatment routes. While in the community, Mosquito Abatement Bikers can also answer citizen’s inquiries about the program and what they can do to reduce mosquitoes on their own property and what they can do to protect themselves.
As part of the Culex Mosquito Prevention Program, CUPHD is taking preventative action through the treatment of catch basins as well as conducting surveys to locate mosquito breeding sites and applying mosquito larvicide, as needed, to abate breeding sites. The program also provides surveillance for West Nile virus (WNV) and Saint Louis encephalitis (SLE) through mosquito testing and epidemiological investigations.
This intergovernmental agreement replaces the encephalitis prevention program that was discontinued by the University of Illinois’ Illinois Natural History Survey. The program is seasonal and runs from May through October.
For additional information on mosquitoes or the abatement program, please contact CUPHD at (217) 373-7900 or visit CUPHD on the web at www.c-uphd.org
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