Blue Tongue

[PA BEN]

If we are going to have a big outbreak of Blue Tongue it will be this year. I haven't seen any yet, but that doesn't mean it's not out there. Post your thoughts and observations.

[phildobaggins]

I'm expecting some blue tongue this year. It's been a scorcher of a summer. Last weekend I was out chasing coyotes around and out of the 10 bodies of water I visited, 8 of them were completely dry, the rest were super low, warm, stagnant, disgusting. 

[buckfvr]

Its comin.....

[Emptyhanded]

It seems like most of the standing water around here has dried up, which is much sooner than usual. I am wondering if these warm temps drying out the usual “pools” will reduce the severity. Less water = less larvae? I’m not sure. The creek on our place seems damn near stationary though (even though it’s still flowing), so I don’t know if that’s a potential breeding ground or not. I’m praying it’s not a repeat of 2015.


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[PA BEN]

The worst year I remember around here Chewelah area was in the early 90's. Spring turkey the next spring we found dead deer everywhere. It was double doe tags those 2 years and the game dept. didn't cancel the double doe season the next year. I still haven't seen the deer numbers like we had before that.

[Jonathan_S]

It's usually into late August and September that the effects of it are seen around here. The midge larvae are in the mud by then but I don't think it has to be stagnant water. Supposedly that's where they are most common and it makes sense. I believe the dryness is so complete here that the midges may be knocked back a bit too.

@BULLBLASTER had some dead into October a few years ago from likely blue tongue. I believe it has to freeze HARD before the risk is truly gone.

[Jonathan_S]

It's usually into late August and September that the effects of it are seen around here. The midge larvae are in the mud by then but I don't think it has to be stagnant water. Supposedly that's where they are most common and it makes sense. I believe the dryness is so complete here that the midges may be knocked back a bit too.

@BULLBLASTER had some dead into October a few years ago from likely blue tongue. I believe it has to freeze HARD before the risk is truly gone.

And for the record, I think it's actually EHD not blue tongue. Even though they are very similar diseases spread by the same gnats to the same animals

[bearpaw]

I wonder if an insecticide could be used to treat/eradicate these gnats?

[boneaddict]

If we are going to have a big outbreak of Blue Tongue it will be this year. I haven't seen any yet, but that doesn't mean it's not out there. Post your thoughts and observations.

Yep, generally the hot dry ones.   Circle around the mudhole

[MHWASH]

Blue tongue is having a big impact right now in the Palouse. I know of 53 that have been picked up within the city limits of Colfax. Very sad to see because the herd was just starting to come back after 2015.

[PA BEN]

Blue tongue is having a big impact right now in the Palouse. I know of 53 that have been picked up within the city limits of Colfax. Very sad to see because the herd was just starting to come back after 2015.

So sorry to hear that.

[MHWASH]

Bio just confirmed it’s EHD

[andersonjk4]

Bio just confirmed it’s EHD

Dang. Not what I like to hear.   

[jrebel]

Doesn’t EHD occur due to drought and contamination of water sources from domestic livestock pissing and crapping in their watering hole?   This what I’ve heard so just confirming. 

If that is the case….I am dumbfounded that landowners don’t provide water to the wildlife in areas prone to EHD.   It’s not that hard to fence off a 250 gallon tank to keep livestock out.  The deer will find it. 

[bearpaw]

Doesn’t EHD occur due to drought and contamination of water sources from domestic livestock pissing and crapping in their watering hole?   This what I’ve heard so just confirming. 

If that is the case….I am dumbfounded that landowners don’t provide water to the wildlife in areas prone to EHD.   It’s not that hard to fence off a 250 gallon tank to keep livestock out.  The deer will find it.

I don't think that is right, I have heard it's a gnat that hangs around waterholes and bites the deer when they come to water. But I'm anxious to hear from someone who knows more than I do.