Yuliia Skrypniuk - Week 9 with DNREC Fish and Wildlife Division

    Monday was a very special day—we received chickens that were specifically raised for our mosquito surveillance project! Working with the mosquito control team, we carefully collected a small amount of blood from a vein under each chicken’s wing. These chickens were then placed in secure, shaded boxes at our usual mosquito trap locations, each with access to two water sources and food. To make sure they don't feel isolated, we placed them in pairs. These chickens help us monitor for mosquito-borne viruses: if infected mosquitoes bite them, we can detect virus markers in their blood the following weeks. Important note—the virus doesn’t harm the chickens at all. They stay healthy and are well cared for!

    We spent Tuesday in three local parks with the tick surveillance team. During breaks, we also collected small insects like flies, ants, and beetles to learn how to properly pin and preserve them later. On the way back, I spotted a red velvet ant—a very striking and interesting-looking insect. We were out of collection bags, so I tried to catch it with a net. When it started escaping, I instinctively tried to secure it through the net… and it stung me! Later, I learned that their sting is considered one of the most painful among insects. Luckily, I only touched it through the net, and I had ice packs in my lunch cooler to quickly reduce the pain and swelling. Despite the sting, we successfully caught it—and I’m excited to pin it soon!

    On Wednesday, we traveled to southern Delaware to collect ticks. I can’t believe it was my final time joining them on this trip.

    On Thursday morning, we responded to larval mosquito complaints: many were due to the aggressive Aedes albopictus, or Asian Tiger Mosquito. In the afternoon, I assisted the tick team in processing their backlog of tick larvae collected using lint rollers. It was detailed work, but I enjoyed helping identify and count the specimens.

    On Friday, we checked on the chickens we had placed earlier in the week. All of them looked healthy and active, and we made sure to refill their food and water. It was rewarding to see how well they were adjusti ng. At 1 PM, I attended the NEVBD-TEC Summer Seminar featuring Patti Casey, the Environmental Surveillance Program Manager from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture. It was inspiring to hear about vector surveillance efforts in a different region and learn from her expertise.



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