Regional District of East Kootenay is getting ahead on mosquito season.
The RDEK has released its five-year pest management plan to control roughly 20 mosquito species in the region.
Jamie Davies, general manager of operations with the RDEK, says the region has experienced drier conditions over the past three years, resulting in fewer mosquitoes.
“The control has been less than in years prior to that, where we’ve had some more floodwater issues that create more mosquitoes,” he told Rewind Radio News.
Services are currently concentrated in the Skookumchuck, Ta Ta Creek and Wasa areas, as nearby residents request improvements to their outdoor quality of life.
“One of the other benefits of not getting mosquitoes is the transmission of any potential mosquito-borne illnesses. We’re fortunate, though, in this part of the world, we don’t have any of those.”
Municipalities such as Cranbrook and Kimberley operate their own mosquito control contracts.
Morrow Bioscience oversees the regional program using a biological larvicide that quickly targets larvae without harming people, animals, honeybees or aquatic life.
Services begin during the freshet, when levels increase along the Kootenay River between May and June. Full treatment typically peaks in June or July, depending on the floodwater situation.
More information is available online through the RDEK’s website.
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