OAKHURST — Trinidad Reyes, an assistant biologist with the Madera County Vector Control District, says part of his job is “promoting public awareness about mosquitoes in an effort to make our communities safer.”
On Saturday, Aug. 12, Reyes will present a workshop at the Oakhurst Branch Library about the lifestyle and habitats of mosquitoes. His presentation is scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to noon in the Library’s Community Room at 49044 Civic Circle Drive.
Part of Reyes’ job in Madera County is overseeing trapping, monitoring mosquito populations and the prevalence of diseases, along with the county’s fish program, designing traps and searching for more effective ways to eliminate mosquito sources.
According to Reyes, “unchecked mosquito sources can breed unreasonable amounts of mosquitoes in a relatively quick time.” He cited an example of one family with a leaky pipe under their house that became a constant breeding source for mosquitoes.
Some common mosquitoes Reyes will discuss are the Aedes aegypti, the primary vector for transmitting Zika, dengue fever, chikungunya and yellow fever and Culex tarsalis, also known as the Western Encephalitis Mosquito, and Culex quinquefasciatus, which transmits West Nile fever.
Last year, Reyes, who lives in Madera, performed a trap evaluation study with Alameda County that was presented at the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California. Currently, he is teaming up with UC Davis in another study to determine the flight distance of an invasive species that occurs in California.
“I will also probably execute another trap evaluation study with Alameda County this year,” he adds.
Before accepting the position as assistant biologist with Madera County, he worked for them on a seasonal basis while studying to be an x-ray technician. When he informed the county he was leaving to pursue another career, they made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Reyes is a family man with two young daughters who enjoys outdoors activities such as camping, hiking and hunting. He also enjoys traveling – an interest that has propelled him to a dozen different states, Canada, Europe and Mexico.
The free event is sponsored by the Friends of the Oakhurst Branch Library (FOBL). For more information, call the library at (559) 683-4838 or visit www.oakhurstfobl.com
