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The North Carolina State Board of Health and local Veterinarians begin to recognize the need for better communications and reporting in the mid
1950’s. Veterinarians first reported equine encephalitis in horses in 1955 and in that same year there were 13 coastal counties without a veterinarian. Only 43% of veterinarians
participated or actively reported veterinary diseases by 1955. The State Board of Health made arrangements in 1956 for the collection of adult mosquitoes and their subsequent examination for
virus isolates, when equine encephalitis had been reported by veterinarians.
Stimulated by hurricanes Hazel, Corrine, Diane and Ione the General Assembly passed legislation which led to the formation of the “Salt Marsh
Study Commission” in 1955-56. In 1957 the Salt Marsh Mosquito Study Commission in compliance with Chapter 1197 of the 1955 Session Laws submitted a comprehensive report to Governor Luther H.
Hodges and the General Assembly. The Commission members included Mr. Charles M. White as Chairman of NC State Board of Health, Dr. W. W. Johnston of Manteo, Charles J. McCotter of Bayboro, Edward
G. McKinley of Morehead City, Dr. C. B. Davis of Wilmington, Phillip A. Griffiths, Vice Chairman, of the NC Department of Conservation and Development, and Yates M. Barber, Jr., of the NC Wildlife
Resources Commission. Ms. HenreEtta Owen of the Insect and Rodent Control Section, NC State Board of Health acted as Secretary for the Commission. The primary purpose of the commission, “in
accordance with the legislative act responsible for its creation, was to make a study of the salt marsh mosquito problem in Eastern North Carolina, and investigate the capacity of each community in the
affected area to provide funds for mosquito control.” Fifteen thousand dollars was provided to initially fund this study and report. The final report cost $32,886. The State Board of
Health and the United States Public Health Service are credited in the Commission’s report for their cooperation and assistance in completing the study. The Commission’s report further
indicates the limited knowledge and experience available regarding salt marsh mosquito ecology and habits. The Commission stated, “salt marsh and other species of mosquitoes are a menace to the
health of people who live in the parts of North Carolina in which these insects breed in large numbers. Human cases of malaria still occur in the State, and encephalitis, another mosquito-borne
disease, was widespread in Eastern North Carolina during 1955. Cases occurred in humans, equine animals and domestic pheasants. An estimated 500 horses and mules were killed during this
outbreak.” The study pointed out the present and growing resistance of mosquitoes to DDT and other chlorinated hydrocarbons and expressed a great need for research in effective and economical
control techniques. They emphasized that operations and planning should continue year round, implying that some control efforts were unplanned, spotty and ineffective. The Commission’s
report indicated some counties could support a mosquito control program if they received financial help on a “fifty-fifty basis from outside sources”. Other counties due to low tax basis
couldn’t afford any mosquito control without significant assistance. The Commission was obviously concerned that State financial assistance would be limited to coastal counties with salt marsh
mosquito problems and pointed out that several inland counties were bothered by fresh water mosquito species that originate within their borders. They stressed the need for the collection of data
sufficient enough to determine adequate control measures. They estimated that it would cost $8.33 million in 1957 dollars to control mosquito breeding in the 416,614 acres of salt marshes in North
Carolina with drainage, filling and dyking. District formation was encouraged “in order for localities to be empowered to effectively organize….levy taxes, employ personnel, enter into
contracts….” etc. At this time, districts were not provided for in our General Statutes. Adulticiding and ditching efforts were generally the preferred control measures recommended by the
Commission but encouraged the development of more effective and cheaper control methods. The Commission recognized the limitation(s) of adulticiding as a mosquito control program. They
emphasized the need for completely balanced mosquito control activities in North Carolina. Today we might call this the need for “integrated public health pest management”.
In May of 1956 North Carolina Governor Luther H. Hodges applied to the Federal Civil Defense Administration for $500,000 regarding the effect of
recent hurricanes on mosquito production. The US Public Health Service coordinated the study to validate that a potential public health hazard existed. Their recommendations were to reduce
the number of mosquito vectors and set up a minimum budget of $500,000 to intensify larval and adult mosquito control along the entire coastal area and arrange for hurricane drainage systems. In
1956 17 counties and 15 cities/towns initially were allocated funds by the Federal Civil Defense Administration for coastal mosquito control. Later that same year, 12 additional governmental bodies
received some funding for mosquito control efforts.
The Salt Marsh Study Commission stated in their 1957 report that the “eradication or extensive reduction of mosquitoes would do more to hasten
the economic development of Eastern North Carolina than any other one thing”. The Salt Marsh Study Commission illuminated the need of an advocate for mosquito control.
Historically, mosquito control was provided in Eastern North Carolina due to the negative effect salt marsh mosquitoes had on economic progress,
agriculture, tourism, industry and real estate development. Mosquito control in the Piedmont and Mountains of North Carolina was not thought to be as great a problem when compared to coastal
counties. In effect, until the formation of the North Carolina Mosquito Control Association and due to the size of the State, poor regional communication in essence isolated mosquito problems and
hampered the recognition of statewide mosquito control efforts. In the late 1950’s and early 1960’s communities generally provided their own limited control of mosquitoes.
North Carolina’s professional mosquito control association most likely had its beginnings at the annual American Mosquito Control Association
(AMCA) meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, when in the early 1960’s Sid Usry with N. C. State Board of Health, Charlie and Frances McCotter of Bayboro, North Carolina, and William F. “Bill”
Strickhouser of Charlotte, North Carolina, met in Mr. Usry’s hotel room. Mr. Bill Strickhouser states “we began to discuss the need for a North Carolina Mosquito Control Association at
this meeting”. The vision formed at the AMCA meeting as these folks observed the collaboration and exchange of information among mosquito control professionals from all over the world. As
would be expected, it took a few years to get organized and to get advice from those who already had similar organizations. So, with the help of Roland Dorer of the Virginia Mosquito Control
Association, Sid Usry, Charlie McCotter, Heath Howie and Dewey Boseman promoted and organized the first meeting of mosquito control professionals to be held in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina at the
Oceanna Motel. This meeting was sponsored by the North Carolina State Board of Health with assistance from the US Public Health Service, Communicable Disease Center. The purpose of this
meeting was to form the North Carolina Mosquito Control Association (NCMCA). There were 42 original North Carolina members (see appendix for list of original members), with each region of the State
represented, including representation from the: State Board of Health, North Carolina Wildlife Commission, Duke Power Company, and various city-county public works and public health agencies.
Two attending the first NCMCA meeting were from the great State of Virginia, Mr. Roland Dorer and Mr. C.M. Pitts. The first meeting lasted five days in May of 1965 and for years the meeting was
held in the spring of the year. Mr. Charlie White, Chief of Insect and Rodent Control, North Carolina State Board of Health, initially presided over the first meeting. On the first day,
Charlie McCotter of Bayboro, North Carolina was elected President of the NCMCA and on that first night (May 10, 1965), an executive committee of six developed the Association’s first Constitution which
was unanimously adopted. The Association operated from donations and assessments with no membership fees initially. From a notation made by Sid Usry in 1965, “the Association has
$58.00 in the treasury”. The first meeting included talks and presentations on “Survey Techniques”, “Larviciding”, “Adulticiding”, “Life Cycle of the Mosquito”, “Mosquito
Biology and Important Mosquitoes of North Carolina” by Mr. Harry B. Weinburgh with the United States Communicable Disease Center followed by “Wildlife Management and Mosquito Control by Mr. Otto
Florshutz with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. There were several panel discussions on fresh and salt water mosquito species with a visit to the salt marsh on May 13, 1965. They
concluded the meeting with discussions for organizing local mosquito control programs and Weinburgh gave a quiz from the CDC materials he had presented earlier.
During the first year of the newly formed North Carolina Mosquito Control Association, Charlie McCotter and Sid Usry promoted the Association all
across North Carolina. Both were prolific letter writers; encouraging local, state, federal, military and others to become part of the Association or to support the Association.
By June of 1966, the NCMCA had grown to 70 members with additions coming from chemical suppliers, the Communicable Disease Center, the United
States Navy, the United States Public Health Service and other local public health and public works agencies. The NCMCA also agreed to collect one dollar annually at registration as dues to support
the Association. Charlie McCotter became past president and handed off the reigns to Mr. Dewey Boseman in 1966. Mecklenburg County Health Department reported to the newly installed president
of the Association serious problems with tires as breeding habitat for mosquitoes. And, the original news letter was entitled “SWAT-EM”. Its first issue was probably in the 1966-67
Association year with Mr. Don Ashton as its first editor. SWAT-EM would be published quarterly for the benefit of its members.
In 1967, North Carolina and Virginia Mosquito Control Associations met in Nags Head, North Carolina for a joint conference. Topics at the
meeting included: Aedes aegypti Eradication Program, Permanent Control Design and Abate the Promising Mosquito Larvicide. There were 51 in attendance at this meeting with buffet cost of $4.00 per person and room rates at $18.00 for a double and $13.00 for a single.
At the Annual meeting in 1969, such notables as Dr. Kenneth L. Knight, head of the Department of Entomology, NC State University and Dr. Jacob
“Jake” Koomen, State Health Director, would speak on “Mosquitoes and Mosquito Control in North Carolina” and the “State Board of Health Viewpoint on Mosquito Control in North Carolina”
respectively. Both of these men continued to positively influence and support mosquito control in North Carolina throughout their careers. North Carolina State University and the State Health
Director’s Office have since this time made available time and resources to support the understanding of mosquito control in North Carolina and the Association. Captain United State Navy, John M.
Hirst, in a July 1969 letter to Don Ashton indicated that he was finding more Anopheles quadrimaculatus species. Captain Hirst regularly asked the Insect and Rodent Control Section of the State Board of Health for assistance at the Naval Medical Field Research Laboratory.
In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s chemical companies began to sponsor events at the annual meetings. The first of these companies were
Dow Chemical and American Cyanimid.
In February of 1970 Keith Oates and Dewey Boseman were presented commendations from the United States Navy for outstanding work in the survey and
reduction of mosquitoes and gnats “bringing significant financial savings as well as environmental improvements” to Camp Lejeune (reported February, 1970 in the Jacksonville, NC Daily News. You could purchase six issues of the Daily News in 1970 for $.50)
During the mid 1970’s and early 1980’s, manufacturers were developing better products for use as larvicides. Larviciding oils were
readily available such as “FLIT-MLO” produced by the Exxon Oil Company. Then in 1977, the discovery of Bacillus thurengensis israelensis (Bti) from soil samples along pond and stream banks launched a new era of larviciding. Sometime in the mid 1970’s the annual meeting dates changed from spring to fall, with at least one meeting as late in spring as June 30, 1976. Since 1979, the annual meeting has been in the fall sometimes meeting in September but most often in October and November. The TIFA fogging machines are still in use but “ultra low volume” adulticiding machines are rapidly moving to the forefront. ULV workshops are soon to become a part of annual training to insure droplet size consistently complies with the product label and federal laws. Dr. Richard C. Axtell of NC State University presented to the NC Mosquito Control Association at the September 23-25, 1981 meeting in Charlotte, NC “Microbial Mosquito Control”. He spoke of the use of Bti (serotype H-14), Lagenidium giganteum, Culicinomyces clavosporus and Coelomycesspp.
in mosquito control. Other microbial developments followed and “monomolecular oils” soon replaced their predecessors like FLIT-MLO. During the business part of the meeting in 1981, the
North Carolina Mosquito Control Association voted to change the Association name to North Carolina Mosquito and Vector Control Association. Largely the reason for this change was due to the makeup
of the Association at the time. Several agencies were not only working with mosquitoes but with the control of rats, ticks, fleas, fire ants, various biting flies, gnats, midges, bats, cockroaches,
etc.
In 1982, the State reported that there were 3 human cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). These were the first to occur in
approximately 20 years. The threat of disease often prompts legislative action. The Association directed its Officers to aggressively solicit the support of the NC Legislature in the next
legislative session for more funding of vector control programs. Dr. Charles Apperson reported keeping membership information in a computer data base. At that time, the list contained 95
members. Dues were still a bargain at $3.00 per year. Mailing labels now are easily printed for mass mailings to the membership and cost of a room at the annual meeting in Raleigh, NC was
$35.00 for a single and $43.00 for a double, plus tax. The cost of a banquet ticket was $10.25. In April of 1982 the NCMVCA applied for and received from the Internal Revenue Service an
employee identification number (58-1468171). The Association also applied for tax exempt status under 501 (c) 3 of the Federal Internal Revenue Service Code. The North Carolina Department of
Revenue also gave the Association tax exempt status on March 29, 1982 under Section 105-125 and 105-130.11 as a bona fide non profit, educational organization. The Association was incorporated on
March 2cd, 1982 under the leadership of Don Willard, President, Bob Barden, Vice President, and Dr. Charles Apperson as Secretary/Treasurer.
About 1982 -1983 New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland mosquito control and US Fish and Wildlife were invited to North Carolina by Nolan Newton, Public
Health Pest Management Section, for their expertise in “open marsh water management” projects. These mosquito control programs provided guidance in best management practices which led to open
marsh water management pilot projects in both Pamlico and Onslow Counties. Dr. Alice Anderson came to North Carolina Public Health Pest Management shortly thereafter and was the principal manager
of these and other open marsh water management projects. These projects, to date, continue to be viewed as successful projects; however, additional funding from the legislature has not been
forthcoming to expand these concepts in other open marsh areas of the State.
In 1983, the Legislature is asked to support funding of vector control programs and Nolan Newton appeals to the Communicable Disease Center (CDC)
to maintain adequate training at “The Wedge”. Dr. Mac Tidwell with CDC is invited to make a presentation at our annual meeting on available training at “The Wedge”. Thurman Tyson with
the City of Rocky Mount, NC and Secretary/Treasurer of the Association actively solicits new members with more than 70 letters sent to prospective new members. In October 1983, Dr. Charles Apperson
of NC State University, Mr. Jerry Perkins and Mr. Nolan Newton both of the Vector Control Branch, Division of Health Services, and Department of Human Resources were given special thanks by the
Association for their work on the newsletter. Dr. Martin Hines, State Public Health Veterinarian, one of the Associations early (1966) members was recognized. Dr. Hines would soon be retiring
from service in Public Health. Dr. Charles Apperson requested the Association evaluate the need for a professional educational display. The display should be suitable for mailing and
promoting the organization in the exhibit space at professional meetings and local and state fairs. The Association moved to approve the purchase of a professional display and that the Executive
Committee to have oversight of the production and purchase of the display. The Association received the educational display in 1984.
At the annual meeting in October 1984 the By Laws Committee is asked to consider Lifetime and Honorary Memberships. The Association was also
asked to consider a joint meeting with the American Mosquito Control Association in 1988 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Prior to 1985 the NCMVCA had no recognized way in which to recognize the meritorious and outstanding work of its members in the field of mosquito
and vector control. The Association decided to set up and name an award in honor of one of its former members. A committee made up of George Swearingen of Duke Power Company, Dewey Boseman
with Public Health Pest Management and Al Harris with the Craven County Health Department made up the committee. They brought a recommendation that the award be named after Dr. Hamilton W.
Stevens. Dr. Stevens was a past president of the Association and a tireless advocate for mosquito control and public health. The committee, all past presidents, friends and acquaintances of
Dr. Stevens developed the written proclamation which honored this man and the future recipients of the award. Dr. Nolan Newton, Section Chief, Public Health Pest Management Section would be the
first recipient of the award in 1986.
Shortly after providing valuable insight and assistance in the development of the Hamilton W. Stevens award Al Harris retired in 1987 as Director
of the Craven County Environmental Health Section of the local Health Department. “Al” served his county and public health for 32 years and was one of the first members of the North Carolina
Mosquito Control Association.
North Carolina’s Legislative Research Commission studying used tires and waste oil in November of 1986 ask Michael Rhodes and Bobby Waters (both
of New Hanover County Health Department and current and past presidents of the NCMVCA respectively) for information regarding mosquito production in used/scrap tires. Their comments express concern
for public health and the need to control the proper storage of used and scrap tires in North Carolina. The North Carolina Mosquito and Vector Control Association and the North Carolina Public
Health Association collaborate in February of 1987 and put forth resolutions to the North Carolina Legislature regarding used and/or scrap tires and mosquito production.
Dr. Charles Apperson volunteers to act as Editor of the Association newsletter at the annual meeting in1986. Not enough can be said at this
time to honor the contributions Dr. Charles Apperson and North Carolina State University have made to and for the benefit of the North Carolina Mosquito and Vector Control Association. Since the
mid 1980’s Dr. Apperson has regularly provided leadership in the Association giving guidance in speaker selection, pesticide safety training and presentations to numerous to mention regarding cutting
edge research and studies on various vectors of public health importance.
Rowland Dorer dies on February 19, 1987 at the annual Mid Atlantic Meeting. “Rollie” was the first president of the Mid Atlantic
Mosquito Control Association, past president of both the Virginia and the American Mosquito Control Associations and was instrumental in the formation of the North Carolina Mosquito Control Association
in 1965. Rowland and others would get together, meeting often, in Dare County providing tremendous leadership and guidance in the foundational structure by which we operate today as an
Association. The North Carolina Mosquito Control Association remembers Rowland fondly and sent condolences to his family, colleagues and friends.
In 1987, the “Asian Tiger”, Aedesalbopictus, mosquito is collected in four North Carolina counties: New Hanover, Mecklenburg,
Rockingham, and Stokes Counties. New Hanover reported the most extensive infestation from Fort Fisher to Wilmington. Aedesalbopictus was found at Carolina Beach, by Bobby Waters, Vector Control Director, New Hanover County Health Department; by Dr. Barry Engber, Public Health Pest Management, in Rockingham and Stokes counties. The North Carolina Mosquito and Vector Control Association consequently are urged by the American Mosquito Control Association to pass a resolution asking the Communicable Disease Center (CDC) to do more in fighting the influx and spread of Aedesalbopictus.
The need to properly identify mosquitoes found in North Carolina prompt Drs. Barry Engber and Charles Apperson to offer one on one training in mosquito identification using taxonomic keys. Drs. Slaff,
Apperson and others collaborate and develop “A Key to the Mosquitoes of North Carolina and the Mid-Atlantic States”. The key was published in 1989. And, Dr. Rick Siegel, with CDC, states
that North Carolina has had 54 cases of Lyme disease between 1984 and 1986. He reports the occurrence of the disease does not match the geographic distribution of any tick species of North
Carolina.
On January 28, 1988 the North Carolina Mosquito and Vector Control Association sends letter of intent to the North Carolina Public Health
Association (NCPHA) governing board and drafted by-laws for the creation of a Vector Control Section to NCPHA. This was done to utilize NCPHA’s legislative clout to improve funding and
educational opportunity(s) for NCMVCA.
Dr. Mark Slaff comes to North Carolina working as medical entomologist in the Western Regional Office in 1988. Dr. Mark Slaff and Mr. Parker
Whitt confirm Aedes albopictus at a tire recapping center shortly after Slaff’s arrival to North Carolina in Forsyth County. EPA in 1988 restated and tightened limitations on pesticide use to protect endangered species. North Carolina’s State funding for mosquito control continues to shrink. A single mosquito control district, Chatham County Mosquito Control District in Georgia, has twice the budgeted appropriation as the entire State of North Carolina. North Carolina Public Health Pest Management encourages the local programs to consider districting. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) continues to be a growing concern for North Carolina. There is actually more tick-borne disease reported in North Carolina than mosquito-borne. The North Carolina Mosquito Control Association sets up the Associational exhibit at the State Fair, on October 14-23, 1988 in the educational building. And the By-laws of the Association are amended to facilitate the alliance with the NC Public Health Association.
Passage of Senate Bill 111 in 1989 rewrites the solid waste management laws and defines comprehensive solid waste management plans for the State
of North Carolina. With the inclusion of the North Carolina Scrap Tire Act, these laws will have a positive/reducing affect on mosquito control efforts with the cleanup of nuisance tire dumps and
other illegal solid waste disposal activities.
Mitchell Parker, recipient of the N.C. Hamilton Stevens Award in 1991 and Mosquito Control Director for Onslow County leaves to take a fire
inspectors position with local government. Mitchell was very innovative and active in open marsh water management projects in Onslow County. On November 6, 1992 by majority vote of the
membership, at the annual meeting, the North Carolina Mosquito and Vector Control Association became a sustaining member of the American Mosquito Control Association. The Center for Disease Control
begins surveillance for Lyme Disease in 1982 and reports that from 1982-1992 there were nearly 50,000 cases of Lyme Disease reported nationally.
The president of the North Carolina Mosquito Control Association, Dr. Alice Anderson, in 1993 declares this to be the year of “Open Marsh Water
Management” (OMWM). And, unfortunately for public health pest management and our association Dr. Marc Slaff after five years on the coast of North Carolina as mosquito entomologist returned to
New Jersey to become Director of Mosquito Control for Morris County.
Throughout the life of the North Carolina Mosquito and Vector Control Association we have been blessed with tremendous support and innovation from
the industrial suppliers. Although some have been with several manufacturers, several names need to be mentioned that have served us well especially in the last thirty years: Mr.
William F. “Bill” Strickhouser, Mr. Bill Jany, Larry Erickson, Don and Kelly Steed, Peter Connelly, Bill Zawicki, Ken Walcher, Larry Case, John Cohen, Joe Strickhouser and Jeffrey O’Neil.
Along with these names we need to remember companies/manufacturers like: American Cyanimid, Clarke Mosquito Control Products, Coastal Vector Control, Northeast Vector Management, Lowndes Engineering,
Summit Chemical Company, W. F. Strickhouser Company, Zoecon, etc. These folks and companies have been there when we needed supplies, speakers, sponsors and other support and we owe them a great deal of
thanks.
A new guy shows up at the 1993 annual meeting named Dr. Bruce Harrison. He’s rather unknown to most of us at the time but throughout the
remainder of the 90’s Dr. Harrison with purpose ushers in a renewed focus on mosquito identification, surveillance and control. Bruce with the assistance of the N. C. Mosquito and Vector Control
Association and Public Health Pest Management Section, raise taxonomy and arboviral surveillance to new heights. Dr. Harrison’s energy and enthusiasm in these areas of science incite and compel
the mosquito control operators and managers to greater proficiency. Ultimately his endeavors in training give the mosquito control specialist our most powerful tools: knowledge and
confidence. With these tools we can do better and work smarter, not necessarily harder.
On October 22, 1993, after a name the newsletter contest, sponsored by the Association Executive Committee, the Newsletter gets a new name, “The
Biting Times”. The Constitution and By-Laws are amended again in 1993 and the American Mosquito Control Association gives four complimentary journals, plus a subscription to “Systemics” for
our Public Health Pest Management Office and permission to use the AMCA logo on our letterhead.
We fondly remember Mr. Don Ashton who died April 12, 1993. Don was retired medical entomologist of 40 years. He retired from the Vector
Control Branch of the N. C. Division of Health Services. Don was a Charter member of the Association, our first newsletter editor and a principle leader in the formation of the Association.
On January 20, 1994 the NCMVCA give four one year memberships to AMCA to local programs. These four memberships are given to NCMVCA for
being a sustaining member. The local programs benefiting from these memberships in 1994 are: Carteret County, Beulaville, Sharpsburg and Dare County. NCPHA notifies the NCMVCA Executive
Committee that the North Carolina Vector Control Section of NCPHA is in danger of loosing its Section status due to low membership. Support for the Vector Control Section eventually wanes to a
point that it looses Section status by 1997.
The NCMVCA, in 1997, offers to jointly sponsor the Second International Congress of Vector Ecology when it meets in Raleigh. Eventually, the
Mid Atlantic Mosquito Control Association (MAMCA), the NC Vector Control Section of NCPHA, the School of Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill and the NCMVCA sponsor the meeting.
Throughout the 1990’s the Public Health Pest Management Section repeatedly tell Local Programs that the General Assembly was not able to fund
State Aide to Counties for Mosquito Control at appropriate levels. In fact, funding cuts were so deep that Public Health Pest Management Staff were hindered in their travel to local programs.
Not until 1996 and 1999 when Hurricanes Fran and Floyd produced significant public health pest management concerns did some relief occur. And, arguably the most significant event occurred when West
Nile Virus presented itself in New York City, New York in 1999. Seven people die in New York with 66 hospitalized. North Carolina and the rest of the United States anxiously waited to see how
this new virus would affect local and state programs. More and more demands for comprehensive mosquito control cause most North Carolina programs to become and/or expand to surveillance based
mosquito control as budgets and other resources continue to shrink.
As West Nile Virus spreads across the Northeastern part of the United States consumer advocates grow concerned over use of “DEET” in
2000, especially on small children. West Nile Virus is discovered in North Carolina in Chatham County in a Crow on September 27, 2000 by US Army Corps of Engineers at Jordon Lake State
Park. The crow was confirmed positive for West Nile Virus using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction testing at the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin.
Dr. John Reinert, in 2000, elevates subgeneric name “Ochlerotatus” to genus level. (Journal of American Mosquito Control Association 16:
175-188) The only mosquito species in North Carolina retaining the name Aedes are: Aedes cinereus, Aedes vexans, Aedes aegypti, and Aedes albopictus. Dr. Bruce Harrison,
Jeff Brown, Joe Andrews, Parker Whitt, Rick Hickman, Marcée Toliver and others begin efforts to provide invaluable educational opportunities through larval and adult identification workshops across the
State. Additionally, in 2000 the Association remembers Charlie McCotter and Ray Bowen who passed away. Charlie McCotter was the Association’s first president.
In 2002 and 2003 several counties adopt local mosquito control ordinances as a result of the increased incidence of West Nile Virus and Eastern
Equine Encephalitis. Taken from the North Carolina “NC 2003 Arboviral Surveillance Data -- Annual Summary”:
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