SWIMMER’S ITCH CONTROL PROGRAM

Please explore our SWIMMER’S ITCH 101 tab on the top of the page to learn more about swimmer’s itch. If you can’t find this tab, use these two links: Swimmer’s Itch Life Cycle and Swimmer’s Itch Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Unfortunately, because of avian flu transmission concerns, the MI-DNR has suspended all bird relocation activities for 2025.

Although common merganser broods will not be removed from Higgins Lake this year, the SWIMMER’S ITCH SOLUTIONS team will continue to assist the HLSIO and the Higgins Lake community in your fight against swimmer’s itch. Part of that support includes maintaining this Higgins Lake-dedicated webpage for reporting common merganser broods and swimmer’s itch cases.

Two specific ways you can continue to help…..
1.Report A Common Merganser BROOD on Higgins Lake

From June 1 – July 15 the single most important thing you can do to help us control swimmer’s itch is to report any common merganser broods you see on Higgins Lake (click the appropriate link above).

If you aren’t sure that the brood you saw are common mergansers, click on the link anyway and you’ll be shown pictures to help you determine their identity.

2.Report A CASE OF SWIMMER’S ITCH on Higgins Lake

Please use the link above to report any and all swimmer’s itch cases on Higgins Lake in 2025. Thank you.