Summer may be over, but state environmental officials are reminding Delawareans that the bugs are still biting.
Officials say the recent detection of West Nile virus in caged chickens that are monitored for mosquito-borne diseases serves notice that mosquitoes remain active, especially during unseasonably warm weather.
William Meredith, Delaware's Mosquito Control Section administrator, says concerns about mosquito-borne diseases could continue for several more weeks, with the peak period for transmission lasting into mid-October.
Public health officials say that since late July, 19 sentinel chickens have tested positive for West Nile Virus, with 13 from New Castle County, five from Kent County, and one from Sussex County. They say past trends indicate that Delaware could see an increase in West Nile-positive findings in downstate chickens in the coming weeks.
