Mosquito season is upon us and Morrow BioScience Ltd, the contracted mosquito control company for Golden and Area A, are mobilizing to control the pesky bug populations this summer.
Morrow BioScience staff have been applying the bacterial larvicide by ground since mid-April.
The first aerial treatment occurred on June 13.
Treatments will continue throughout the summer as needed.
With higher than usual river levels predicted, treatments will be required as additional floodwater habitat is created.
Floodwater mosquito eggs are laid in the damp substrate along floodwater corridors.
Flooding along with other environmental triggers allow for the eggs to hatch into larvae.
The larvae go through four stages and development can take from four days to two weeks.
Warmer weather accelerates development.
Floodwater mosquitoes are triggered to hatch in the presence of water, typically from the freshet, when the weather starts warming up and snow melt increases the Columbia and Kicking Horse River levels.
A larval control product is applied to mosquito development areas. The active ingredient is a soil-borne bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti). When the mosquito larvae eat the bacterium, they’re killed quickly.
Morrow BioScience advises residents that the larvicide they apply is not toxic to people, wildlife, or pets.
Once the mosquito eggs have hatched and the larvae have started to develop, mosquito control contractors apply a bacterial larvicide to the seepage water to kill the larvae.
The larvicide is composed of bacterial spores that affect mosquito larvae. When the mosquito eats the bacteria, it dies quickly.
Mosquito development sites within the region will continue to be monitored until water levels recede.
To help reduce mosquito populations, remove or refresh standing water daily in the warmer months, ensure that outdoor plants or containers have a drainage hole, clear rain gutters of debris and make sure they drain, turn over wading pools when not in use and install screens on windows and doors.
Additionally, report unusually high mosquito levels to your local mosquito control technicians.
