Dry conditions have kept mosquito populations low in Regina, with trap tallies below average.
But the City of Regina is bracing for a spike.
“Over the last week, we saw some rainfall and now we’re starting to see standing water areas, which is perfect habitat for mosquito populations,” said Ray Morgan, the city’s manager of parks and open spaces.
Morgan said crews have been out applying a product called VectoBac to bodies of standing water. It’s an all-natural product that comes in pellet form.
“It controls the mosquito larvae that are being born in water bodies. It only impacts the mosquito larvae and it leaves the other beneficial insects alone,” he said.
Mosquito season usually spans from May to September and is at its peak right now.
“Wet weather conditions really have a significant role in mosquito populations,” Morgan said.
“If we don’t get any more rain until the end of August, mosquito populations will likely see a decrease. But if we continue getting 10 to 20 millimetres of rain once a week, we’ll still see a consistent mosquito population.”
Mosquitoes are not the only pests with which the city has been concerned.
Morgan said city crews just finished their cankerworm program, spraying 17,000 trees.
“We really had a significant impact in getting to those trees quite quickly and helped reduce those populations,” he said. “We felt it was very successful program in terms of ensuring that the trees are staying healthy and not defoliated.”