“There is a cycle between birds and the culex mosquito. A culex mosquito bites an uninfected bird. Now that bird is infected. An uninfected mosquito bites that bird and then that mosquito now has West Nile.”

Tuttle says Summit County has phased out organophosphates in its sprays and now uses a bacteria-based spray that kills mosquitoes and gypsy moths but is safe for other species. Portage County sprayed for mosquitoes earlier this month. Cuyahoga County is not spraying yet but is monioring mosquito populations.