SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – Sarasota County Mosquito Management has introduced a new flock of sentinel chickens as part of its annual program to monitor mosquito-borne disease activity.
The county said chickens do not get sick from diseases such as West Nile virus and several types of encephalitis. Instead, the birds develop antibodies that crews monitor as an indicator of disease activity and to track disease patterns.
Sarasota County Mosquito Management said crews will continue normal daily surveillance and larvicide treatments to manage the mosquito population. Operations are weather permitting.
Residents can check the county’s planned mission map for application times, pesticides applied and treatment locations. The county also said residents can register for treatment notifications through AlertSarasotaCounty.com or request service to report a significant increase in mosquito populations…