Did you know that Wisconsin is home to 56 species of mosquitoes? Many of them don’t actually bite people – they prefer amphibians or larger mammals like deer. However, the species that do bite humans can be incredibly annoying, and can keep you from fully enjoying your yard during the warmest months of the year. While most of Wisconsin’s mosquito species tend to attack at dusk and dawn, conditions around your home and yard can promote their activity all day long, dramatically limiting the enjoyment of your outdoor spaces.

Aedes albopictus, a species of mosquito capable of transmitting Zika virus, was found in Wisconsin in 2017. However, there is currently no evidence of Zika-infected mosquitoes or local transmission of Zika virus in the state of Wisconsin. To date, the only Wisconsin residents at risk of contracting Zika virus are those who have traveled to – or had sexual contact with someone who has traveled to – locations with active Zika virus transmission.

Zika virus is primarily spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, but can also be transmitted through sexual contact, and from mother to child. If you believe you may be infected with Zika, use mosquito repellent for the first week of your illness, as Zika can pass from an infected person to a mosquito, and an infected mosquito can then spread the virus to others.

Many people infected with Zika virus don’t know they have the disease because they don’t exhibit symptoms, or the symptoms are too mild to require medical care. Deaths from Zika are incredibly rare.

The most common symptoms of Zika virus are fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Other common symptoms include muscle pain and headache. Symptoms may last for several days up to a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

West Nile virus (WNV) is an arbovirus that is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. WNV is widespread in Africa, southern Europe, the Middle East, and western Asia. It first appeared in the eastern United States in 1999. In North America, cases of WNV occur during mosquito season, which starts in early summer and continues through the fall. WNV cases have now been reported in all of the continental United States. The first human cases of WNV in Wisconsin appeared in 2002, though few mosquitoes actually carry the virus.

West Nile virus (WNV) is most commonly spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. In nature, mosquitoes become infected with WNV by feeding on infected birds and can transmit the virus to other animals, birds and humans. You can report dead birds found near your home to the Dead Bird Reporting Hotline: 800-433-1610. In a very small number of cases, West Nile virus has been spread through exposure in a laboratory setting, blood transfusion and organ donation, and from mother to baby (during pregnancy, delivery, or breast feeding).

An estimated 80% of people infected by West Nile Virus (WNV) never experience symptoms. Most of the remaining 20% experience relatively mild symptoms, such as fever, headache, muscle aches, skin rash, swollen lymph nodes, and photophobia (sensitivity to light). Less than 1% of people infected with WNV become seriously – and in rare cases, fatally – ill. Severe symptoms include sudden onset of high fever, neck stiffness, extreme muscle weakness, tremors, convulsions, or disorientation.

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