It all began with a phone call: How a vector control agency addresses neighborhood invasions

The central programs for the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District, a local government agency, are management of red-imported fire ants (RIFA) and mosquitoes, primarily those that transmit West Nile virus, St. Louis Encephalitis virus, and Western Equine Encephalitis virus. However, as a public entity and a local resource for insect knowledge, the District often encounters requests for information on many insects or arthropods of public concern. This presentation will describe two situations where it all began with a phone call. Something unusual was garnering the attention of our residents and they gave us a call to alert us. While these situations were different than our routine work, it was still within the District’s scope. The first involved a La Quinta country club complaining about fly issues from a neighboring small cattle ranch. The second involved a non-native bark scorpion invading a neighborhood in Indio. Approaches to address both of these issues and outcomes will be discussed.