Cranbrook’s annual mosquito control program is underway, with the city having recently completed its first round of treatment.
The project is part of local strategy to kill the pesky blood suckers before their population booms later this spring and in the summer.
A contractor treated various mosquito breeding sites with Aquabac, a known larvicide that is officially registered for use in Canada. Aquabac contains a naturally occurring bacterium known at Bti, which targets mosquito larvae, but does not harm birds, mammals, beneficial insects or amphibians.
Residents can do their part to manage and control the mosquito population by draining standing water from flowerpot trays, outdoor pet dishes, tarps, boats, tires, children’s pools and toys, untreated or unmaintained pools or ponds, and bird baths and feeders. They are also encouraged to clear clogged gutters and ditches.
Mosquito breeding sites will be continually monitored and treated as needed through the warmer months. Please call the mosquito hotline at 250-421-1294 to report potential mosquito development or for more information on the control program.
