Recordings, traps, flyers + Biogents is here!
There's a lot happening — I'll try to keep this brief!
Zoom recording is available
Wednesday's call was wonderful — thank you to everyone who joined and asked such thoughtful questions. We shared an overview of the committee's goals and active work, followed by Dr. Bart Knols, a renowned mosquito researcher with decades of experience. His overview of what works, what doesn't and why was genuinely illuminating. Worth a watch even if you were there. Watch the recording here →
Note: still working on getting the ASL interpretation displaying side by side. If you know how to do this, please holler!
Trap ordering update You all have given Biogents’ inventory a real run for its money. The Sweetscent attractant for the Mosquitaire is temporarily out of stock — they’ve paused Mosquitaire orders until a new shipment arrives, expected any day. If you ordered GATs alongside a Mosquitaire, email shop-us@biogents.com and ask them to ship the GATs right away.
A few things worth knowing about GAT accessories: each trap comes with 5 sticky cards, each lasting about 2 weeks (maybe 1 if it’s working overtime). You’ll need to restock throughout the season. The good news is all accessories are discounted on our ordering page too. Just visit the page and skip selecting a trap. The discount will be live for the next couple of months so no rush.
Biogents is here! I spent yesterday afternoon with a few neighbors walking some blocks in Southeast with Lillie, their lead field technician, and learned a lot about trap placement and how to think about mosquitoes across the different environments on the Hill. I'm taking notes and will share a proper synthesis next week.
I also couldn't help noticing: catch basins, Pepco vaults and drains are everywhere around the spots where neighbors have reported the worst mosquitoes. Dunks and bits to the rescue! Next week I plan to work on estimating how much BTi we'd need to treat these communal resources — and whether we can tap into DC Health's inventory to distribute among block captains.
Today, Biogents will be at the Northeast Library from 12:30–4:30pm for a drop-in to answer questions, share information, and I heard there may be a little giveaway. Just show up!
Block captainsThank you for volunteering! I’ve updated the website with a description of what the role looks like. It's worth a read if you’re still on the fence. We’re also working on a map of blocks with captains and a way to connect neighbors to theirs — more on that soon. Details here →
Flyers!
I just finished an informational flyer you can print and share with neighbors or leave at your favorite local spots. Stuff it in your neighbors' mailboxes, attach it to a bulletin board, leave a stack at a coffee shop, leave one in a Little Free Library. And don’t sleep on DC’s public libraries — library card holders get up to 20 free high-quality pages printed daily. Download the flyer → ·
