Summer Job that BITES

 As my junior year is nearing its close, I'm getting geared up to work another summer as the Lycoming County West Nile Virus Technician. This will be my third summer working this position so I thought a blog post about it was more than necessary. Enjoy!

My "desk" as I sort through samples to ship to the DEP

    The Lycoming County WNV program is run through the county conservation service and is funded by the Department of Environmental Protection. Essentially the main goal of this position is to mitigate and monitor current/potential WNV hotspots in the county. As the WNV technician, it's my job to collect mosquito (the agent that spreads WN to humans) samples in the field for testing and to implement strategic pest management strategies to control mosquito population numbers. I focus on 10 weekly fixed and 5 non-fixed sites, which are determined by things such as proximity to the public and past history. At these sites, I set various traps designed to capture different types and different life stages of mosquitoes. Typically, these traps will sit overnight and I will come back the next day to collect. I then place these live mosquitoes into a cooler of dry ice to kill and preserve them. Next, I sort through my "catch" discarding any of the poor moths and flies that accidently flew into my trap. These samples are then sent to the DEP where they are tested for WNV. 

Gravid Trap: For mosquitoes laying eggs

BG Trap: For Mosquitoes seeking host

    This job has taught me so much. First and foremost, as my first full time job, it gave me a taste of what being a working adult is like (big scary). Managing my summer around a higher time commitment job was frustrating and exhausting at times, but ultimately paid off.  More specifically to this position, I learned so much practical biology and ecology. From studying and passing my Public Pesticide Applicators Exam to attending weekend conferences about mosquitoes, I have learned way more about these little monster than I ever thought possible. Another aspect of my job I had not expected to encounter was the educational component. Nearly everyday I interact with the public in some way, whether that be someone asking about the safety of chemicals I'm using or a Karen yelling at me for being in the park. Regardless, I love seeing people and having the opportunity to show them the equipment and teach them about the program. 

    Looking at this summer, I am anxious to get back to this important work. I'm excited to spend my summer out in the fresh air, even if its mosquito infested. 

Spraying pesticides which is a component of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)