04/01/2026
Fight the Bite!
The 2026 Mosquito and Tick season is almost upon us once again. In partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Berks County Conservation District (BCCD) kicks off the 2026 mosquito and tick surveillance season on April 6th. While most insects provide beneficial effects, such as being part of the food web or acting as pollinators for plants, ticks and mosquitoes can become a biting nuisance or, more importantly, transmit diseases that can make you sick. Each week, BCCD collects environmental samples of tick and mosquito populations from our communities to assess disease transmission potential. Communities with mosquito populations showing elevated disease risks are proactively targeted with control measures and education efforts. Additionally, the PA Department of Environmental Protection uses the data we collect to publish seasonal risk values throughout the Commonwealth.
If you see BCCD staff setting mosquito traps or dragging a cloth along the edge of a local park, this is being done to measure the risk of tick and mosquito populations transmitting diseases in Berks County (see attached photographs). As the weather begins to warm up, mosquitoes and ticks will become active. It is important for the citizens of Berks County to be aware of their shared responsibility in reducing the habitat for mosquitoes and ticks.
With the warmer weather, we become more active too. As we spend more time outdoors, the CDC and BCCD recommend the following steps to prevent bites from mosquitoes and ticks:
Avoiding mosquitoes and ticks doesn’t mean that you have to stay inside. Insect repellent, when used properly, can keep mosquitoes and ticks off your skin. We recommend using repellents that are EPA approved that contain DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus, and adults should help apply repellents to children under 12.
Wear long-sleeve shirts, long pants, and socks to keep mosquitos and ticks off your skin.
Early morning, late afternoon, and early evening are peak biting times for mosquitoes that spread West Nile virus. It’s especially important to use repellent if you’re outdoors at these times.
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water, even in small containers. Walk around the outside of your home at least once a week and empty any water that’s collected in toys, pet food and water bowls, birdbaths, buckets, and other objects. Check under bushes and other hard-to-see places. Get rid of old tires and other objects that can collect water.
Failing stormwater basins are another big mosquito habitat. If your stormwater basins hold water for more than 96 hours, they are likely failing and will require repair.
Ensure all supplies and equipment are stored in a way that will keep them from collecting water. Some examples include heavy machinery, construction/building supplies, buckets, and tarps.
Check trash cans and recycling bins, as they tend to collect water and can be another mosquito breeding habitat.
Limit mowing to times when the ground is not oversaturated to reduce the chances of creating ruts, depressions, and erosion features. Water will collect in these areas, allowing for more mosquito habitat.
Keep mosquitos out of your house. Check for and repair holes in window and door screens.
Perform daily tick checks after being outdoors, even in your own yard. Inspect all parts of your body carefully, including your armpits, scalp, and groin. Remove ticks immediately using fine-tipped tweezers.
Create a tick-safe zone around your home. For example: remove leaf litter and clear grasses and brush around your home and the edge of the lawn, and place mulch between lawns and wooded areas to keep ticks off the places you work and play the most.
Education and Outreach: Part of the way the program hopes to reduce mosquito populations is through education. Education plays a key role in the reduction of larval habitat and the management of mosquito populations in communities. The mosquito team would like to have educational programs this spring to help prepare communities for the mosquito season. If you would like to try and schedule a program please call or email Trevor Blackwood (email and phone listed below)
Spotted Lantern Fly Traps: On an unrelated note, the BCCD if offering spotted lantern fly traps for free to homeowners and municipalities. If you are having issues with spotted lantern fly’s and could use some traps stop by the BCCD office at 1238 County Welfare Road, Suite 200, Leesport, PA.
Berks County Mosquito Team Members:
Coordinator: Trevor Blackwood, 610-372-4657, ext. 216, [email protected]
Seasonal Technician: Cameron Kegel, 610-372-4657 ext. 203 [email protected]
