City of Saskatoon asks resident to help control mosquito population this summer

The City of Saskatoon say its annual mosquito-control program is underway, but residents can also help keep the pests’ population under control.

The city’s program focuses on mosquitos that are still in the aquatic, larval stage of their life cycle, which it says has the greatest impact when it comes to reducing adult populations. This is accomplished by investigating and treating sites where mosquitoes develop in an area of roughly 902 square kilometres, which includes both the city itself and a surrounding buffer area.

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“Mosquitos use standing water to reproduce. An increase in rainfall in the last few years has created habitat in places that have not been active in a very long time,” the city said in a statement.

“We can continue to expect to see more activity as we accumulate rainfall.”

Residents can help keep mosquitoes from reproducing by regularly changing or removing standing water from their own properties, the city noted.

“Ensure items in and around the property like pool covers, saucers under flowerpots, children’s toys, pet bowls and wading pools are regularly emptied or replaced with clean water,” the city said.

“Clean eavestroughs regularly so water does not collect in them.”

Bird baths should be emptied and cleaned twice a week to prevent them from becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes, the city noted, and debris like old tires can also hold rainwater and provide more opportunities for the pests to breed.

Rain barrels can also provide a good spot for mosquitoes to reproduce, so the city advised covering the openings with mosquito screens.

If standing water can’t be removed, the city said residents can consider either screening it off or treating it with a product that contains bacillus thuringiensis israelensis.