The state Department of Public Health yesterday announced the state's first animal case of West Nile Virus: In an alpaca, somewhere in sprawling Middlesex County, a week after four human cases had been confirmed in the state. Read more.

The Boston Public Health Commission reports crews will be spraying Fowl Meadow on the Milton line on Thursday because all the rain has meant an explosion in the number of mosquitoes in the marshy area. Read more.

The Revere Journal reports the Friend of Belle Isle Marsh has canceled this year's Belle Isle Fall Festival, scheduled for this weekend, to protect people from mosquitoes - and the diseases they could be carrying.

Our site supervisor at Belle Isle has to wear full gear because the mosquito infestation is so bad. I’m disappointed about the cancellation, but we will be holding a spring festival in May.

The Suffolk County Mosquito Control Project says it will have trucks spraying parts of West Roxbury on Monday and Tuesday nights and parts of Hyde Park and Roslindale on Wednesday night. Read more.

The year's second pool of infested mosquitoes was found earlier this week in Hyde Park, joining an equally WNV-laden pool in Jamaica Plain, the Boston Public Health Commission says.

West Nile Virus is generally considered a mild problem, causing flu-like symptoms, at least among people with healthy immune systems, but the commission says now would be a good time to slather up with DEET for those walks in the woods, and to make sure all those tires in your backyard aren't full of the stagnant water mosquitoes just love to breed in, after sucking out some of your blood with their sharp-tipped proboscises.

Slather on the DEET: The Boston Public Health Commission yesterday announced the finding of the year's first virus-laden mosquito, in Jamaica Plain.

The Boston Public Health Commission reports a mosquito sample from West Roxbury has tested positive for West Nile Virus, a couple weeks after Roslindale won this year's honors for first infected neighborhood.

The Boston Public Health Commission reports the latest sampling of mosquitoes shows West Nile Virus in one sample taken in Dorchester and three in West Roxbury - following the detection of the virus in other West Roxbury locations a few days earlier.

To date, nobody has been diagnosed with the mosquito-borne virus, which typically does not seriously affect otherwise healthy individuals, the commission says.

Heard a weird whining sound heading down our Roslindale/Hyde Park street just now. Looked out the window just in time to see a white pickup going by at a moderate clip with some sprayer thing in the back pumping out some sort of mist. I assume/hope it was for mosquitoes (Roslindale being next to the West Nile reservoir that is JP and the giant marsh that is West Roxbury). The pipe was pointed at the other side of the street, so I figure it'll be coming back this way aimed at us in a bit.

Did I miss the notices? Wouldn't some advance warning be good for people with respiratory issues who might have their windows open on a summer night or people who like to barbecue (yes, with the proviso there are likely to be few barbecues at 10:25 p.m.)? Last month, somebody from the county mosquito control project told the Bulletin residents are notified in advance. Maybe I missed the signs (that weren't posted on the light poles) or something.