What you need to know about this year's mosquito control in Winnipeg

The City of Winnipeg is taking steps to control mosquitoes in the city this summer.

On Wednesday, the city announced it started this year’s larviciding program, which targets the insects’ larvae before they become adults. The program will continue until mid-September.

The city notes the below-average precipitation and slow spring melt have created suitable conditions to begin mosquito control.

“They’re out in the water now and we’re going around and targeting those sites using the most environmentally friendly way of targeting mosquito populations,” said David Wade, superintendent of the Insect Control Branch.

This year’s mosquito control program will use an environmentally mindful strategy, which includes a biorational larviciding program with ground equipment and four helicopters. The program will also involve monitoring and treating 28,000 hectares of water area, and monitoring for adult nuisance mosquitoes in New Jersey Light Traps.

The city uses helicopters to apply the mosquito larvicide at low attitudes, with the contractor operating under a low-flight waiver. When larviciding is taking place in areas where people congregate, public access will be restricted 20 minutes before and during the treatment.

The Insect Control Branch will post signage indicating the date and time of the planned larviciding about 24 hours in advance of the treatment. It will also do the treatment as early as possible in the morning and will use longer-lasting larvicides.

The city will only use adult mosquito treatments when the requirements of its policy, the Adulticiding Factor Analysis guidelines, and the Provincial Pesticide Permit are met. If nuisance mosquito treatment is needed, the program will use the insecticide DeltaGard 20EW.

Areas with the highest nuisance mosquito populations will be prioritized and a 90-metre buffer zone will be put in place. The city will put out a 24-hour public notice prior to the start of a nuisance treatment program, and will issue daily public notices detailing where treatment will take place that night.

As for whether this will be a bad year for mosquitoes, Wade said it’s dependent on the weather.

“Compared to last year, we’re in dryer conditions than we were a year ago, so we’re starting off good,” he said.

“But it all depends on how much rain we get throughout the summer and how heavy and how often we get rainfall events.”

Property owners who don’t want DeltaGard 20EW applied on or adjacent to their home can register as anti-pesticide registrants for the adult nuisance mosquito treatment program. Applications details can be found online.

Those who want to receive notifications for adult mosquito control activities can register online or by contacting 311.

The city also encourages Winnipeggers to get rid of standing water on their properties.

“We definitely want homeowners to do their part and take care of water on their properties,” Wade said.

“So dump it, drain it, treat it, cover it or fill it to reduce those mosquito habitats in their own backyard that we don’t have access to.”