Eielson NCO bugs mosquitos

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jonathan Snyder
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska (AFPN) --  Summer in Alaska may be the best time of the year with virtually continuous daylight and warm weather. However, with nice weather comes a small blood-sucking menace: the mosquito.

In Alaska there are 35 different species of mosquitoes and all but a few will feed on people. They breed near stagnant water, so the population can be fierce in those areas. 

For the people at Eielson Air Force Base one person stands between them and this summer menace -- Tech. Sgt. Christopher Beach, 354th Civil Engineer Squadron entomology shop. Sergeant Beach is battling the mosquito population with 20 strategically-placed mosquito magnets around the base.

"The mosquito magnets we put in public places improve the quality of life for personnel living on base," Sergeant Beach said. "Residents can use more public areas on base with minimal distractions from these nuisance insects."

The magnets are designed to give off carbon dioxide from a propane tank which replicates the human breath attracting the mosquitoes. Once they get close enough to the source a vacuum will suck them up into a trap. Each trap is checked once a week and emptied if needed.

After checking the traps Sergeant Beach returns to the entomology shop where he can record the amount of mosquitoes captured. Last year alone they captured more than 3 million mosquitoes. They then compile a sample to provide to Public Health, who then packages and ships it to Brooks City-Base, Texas, to be tested for any diseases, including West Nile, Dengue's Fever, Malaria and Yellow Fever.

"Certain viruses can't be detected in a populated area, but by trapping and testing mosquitoes in certain places we are able to detect and quarantine, preventing potential disease outbreaks," said Airman 1st Class Demario Petty, 354th Medical Operations Squadron public health.

Currently there have been no recorded disease outbreaks from mosquitoes in Alaska.

"The mission will continue to go on despite the mosquito population but we will try to ease the nuisance factor for personnel working outside as much as possible," Sergeant Beach said.

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