With the Victoria Day weekend upon us, it’s time for the bugs, and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph public health is already on the watch.
The health unit has started it’s annual mosquito larvicide program, which will run until October. The hope is to reduce the number of mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus. There was one confirmed case of the virus last year in our area among humans. There were two cases detected in birds.
The larvicide program focusses on standing water….where mosquitoes just love to lay their eggs.
Public Health is also encouraging property owners to remove standing water anywhere it tends to collect. These locations include flowerpots, bird baths, wheelbarrows, eaves troughs, rain barrels and tires.
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, so the first line of defense is eliminating mosquito breeding areas. Larvicide is used in potential larvae breeding sites where standing water cannot be eliminated or is more difficult to control, such as:
- roadside ditches
- temporary pools
- sewage lagoons
- storm-water retention ponds
- areas of standing water
- municipal catch basins
Public Health is also encouraging property owners to remove standing water anywhere it tends to collect. These locations include flowerpots, bird baths, wheelbarrows, eaves troughs, rain barrels and tires.
You can reduce the risk of mosquito bites and potential exposure to West Nile virus:
- wear light-coloured pants and long-sleeved shirts
- avoid being outside at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes tend to feed
- use a mosquito repellent with DEET or Icaridin for adults and children over 6 months of age (as recommended by Health Canada)
For information about the products used in the larvicide program, or details on treatment locations, please call the Canadian Centre for Mosquito Management at 1-855-220-7022. If you have a catch basin on your property and would like to have it treated at no cost, call Public Health at 1-800-265-7293 ext. 4753. Visit wdgpublichealth.ca/mosquitoes for more information.
