Mosquito Control
Mosquito breeding occurs in wetlands after periods of high rainfall. Mosquitoes are known to present serious health risks and cause considerable nuisance to residents and visitors to the Shire of Capel.
Read more about how far Mozzies travel in the ‘Mozzie Mark and Recapture Project’.
Monitoring
The Shire of Capel has a comprehensive mosquito management program in place involving monitoring, treatment, and communication activities.
These activities occur with the mosquito season commencing in June/July and concluding in December.
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The Shire of Capel is highly vigilant in the management of mosquito breeding and has a monitoring and control program in place. This program includes:
- Routine monitoring of known breeding sites.
- Visually checking, counting, and identifying the larvae numbers in wetlands and coastal planes throughout the Shire.
- Setting carbon dioxide and light traps to catch and count the number of adult mosquitoes present.
- Investigation of complaints regarding excessive breeding.
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Treatment
When the Shire detects significant numbers of mosquito larva and adults, treatment activities will be undertaken.
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These may include:
- Hand application of larvicide in targeted water bodies.
- Aerial application of non-toxic larvicide, using a helicopter to apply directly into the targeted wetlands that specifically targets mosquito larvae. The helicopter may on occasions be seen flying low near residential areas close to wetlands.
- The Shire uses 2 types of larvicide. The first is a larval growth regulator, designed to be absorbed through the outer cuticle and disrupt larval development. This results in failure to emerge as adult mosquitoes. The second is a naturally occurring soil bacterial toxin, it is designed to damage larvae gut lining preventing nutrient absorption. Both treatments are specifically designed to target mosquito larvae only.
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Community
While treatment activities reduce mosquito numbers, mosquitoes are a fact of life in the Southwest. Not being bitten is the best way to protect yourself from mosquito borne illnesses.
You can Fight the Bite
by applying a personal repellent containing DEET or picaridin on any exposed skin, wear loose-fitting long sleeve shirts and long pants.
There is also now an oil of lemon eucalyptus product that has been recently endorsed nationally.
Personal insect repellents
How to Repel or Control Mosquitoes Around Your Home
At different times of the year, you may find mosquitoes around your home. Here are some ways to reduce the number of mosquitos around your property and in your home:
- Install fly screens in outdoor sitting areas.
- Use a fan to create a change in air pressure. Mosquitos don’t like windy areas.
- Turn off lights or change to yellow or low fluorescence globes.
- Reduce garden foliage and long grass.
- Use mosquito coils, lamps or bug zappers
- Apply a residual insecticide to outside areas
- Remove standing water e.g. clean gutters and empty water holding containers.
Want to Keep Up to Date with our Mozz-E-Mail>
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Related Information
Fight the Bite
Fight the Bite South West Facebook
Information on Fogging and Adulticides
Information on Mosquito Borne Disease
Insect repellent