But did you know that mosquitoes are more than just a nuisance? They are downright dangerous. They are the single most deadly creature in the world.

Each year, over 700 million people contract mosquito-borne diseases such as the Zika virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus, dengue, and malaria, resulting in over one million deaths. And, many people don’t realize that mosquito-borne illnesses can occur right here in our own backyards.

Marin/Sonoma Mosquito Mosquito & Vector Control District needed to get the word out to their community that mosquito abatement districts and their community, working together, can combat the threat of mosquitoes and safeguard the health and well-being of both humans and animals.

Our team of journalists worked with the District to create an 8-page newsprint publication, that told the story of what these “mosquito detectives” do every day to keep the community safe, and offered tips on how readers could help combat mosquitos. We inserted this publication into newspapers throughout the region to raise awareness and increase community participation.

We can all sleep easier now, knowing that the Marin/Sonoma region will be a little bit safer.

Related: A Century-plus of Mosquito Protection