Our Mosquito Management Program operates to reduce mosquito levels in the community to help reduce the risk of illnesses and protect our health, wellbeing and local environment.
Mosquito numbers are weather dependant, and the recent and
ongoing rain means we’re likely to see higher mosquito numbers than in previous
years.
While we are working hard to safely reduce their
numbers, mosquitoes (also known as mozzies) are natural part of the ecosystem and it’s not possible to
make a significant reduction in their population.
What we do
Officers are currently monitoring larval numbers across
Greater Geelong and will be continually assessing and reviewing potential
breeding sites over the coming months. This includes monitoring known breeding sites applying ground control
treatments to drains, dams, and easements, where it is safe to do so.
We are continuing to work through the process of obtaining a
10-year permit to conduct aerial treatments in wetlands that are designated to
be of international importance under the Ramsar convention.
We acknowledge that these are environmentally significant,
internationally protected wetlands so it’s imperative that we receive the
relevant approvals and get the process right.
We also provide educational material for use in school and in the home.
Approved products
We follow stringent safety precautions, we don’t
broad based pesticides, and we only use approved biological products in our program. People, other animals, and the general
environment are not adversely affected by the treatments.
The
program normally operates late May each year and is affected by
the changes in weather patterns from year to year. Generally, mosquito numbers are low during the winter months, and
monitoring and treatment are minimal during this period.
What you can do
You can check your property for possible breeding sites around your home.
You can take simple steps to protect yourself from mosquitoes.