Mosquito numbers on the rise in Regina

Mosquito populations appear to be spiking in Regina this week with city traps catching triple the average numbers for this time of year.

“Our mosquito counts are actually above historical averages. Right now or as of last Friday, we trapped 59 mosquitoes per trap. Our average if you want a comparison is 21 mosquitoes per trap,” explained Russell Eirich, manager of pest control for the City of Regina.

He said these numbers show the mosquito population is significantly larger than it has been in the past few months. But the city was expecting an increase after rainy and windy weather. Eirich says mosquito control efforts are ramping up using the bacterial agent called Vectobac that kills the mosquito larvae.

While you may have been slapping away a few swarms of mosquitoes in the evening, plenty of people were out enjoying a mosquito-free walk or run in the middle of the day at Wascana Park.

“Well I’ve noticed them. They just tend to stay away from some people more than others I guess,” Alyscia Coffman said while taking a walk on Tuesday at noon. “They’ve been kind of biting my kids and my husband, but I mean, I wouldn’t say anything more than the normal.”

She admits she is one of the lucky people who don’t get badly bitten by mosquitoes, but they do bother her husband.

“He’ll have 10 and I’ll have one bite, so I don’t know, I guess I’d be annoyed if I was him, I like it though,” Coffman said laughing.

Heather Hickton is not so lucky when it comes to mosquitoes loving her blood.

“They’re ridiculous. Me and my dog have been trying to fight them off all week,” she said, explaining that nothing seems to really work to keep them away. “No, honestly no, just going inside kind of avoiding them, that’s about it.” 

Virginia Bird is also battling the blood-sucking pests in the Queen City.

“I’m actually all bitten up, head to toe right now and I’m super itchy,” she commented.

She added that sometimes it feels like mosquitoes are attracted to the popular OFF brand of repellant.

Stu Mason says he hasn’t noticed a really bad spike in mosquito numbers, but says those that are out sure are biting.

“No they haven’t been bad, not in the sun, as long as you stay in the heat they’re fine, it’s in the evenings when you get in the shade and anywhere the grass is moist,” Mason commented.

He added that his best advice for getting rid of mosquitoes is to clear out your eaves troughs because they are perfect breeding grounds.