Mosquitoes are hanging around despite the RDOS' best efforts to keep them at bay

The heavy rain issues continue to trickle down as the mosquito population this year is particularly bad. 

“We’re now dealing with the perfect storm for mosquitoes,” said Zoë Kirk, public works projects coordinator, Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen.

The nuisance mosquito is the first type to appear in the year, in the early spring.

“This year with the cool wet weather, we’re still dealing with the large volumes of the nuisance mosquito.”

Usually, as Kirk mentions, a second type of mosquito shows up, which is smaller and not particularly interested in humans, in July. This year however, the cool wet weather has been keeping the bigger, hungry mosquitoes around.

The RDOS started distributing a larvicide — bacillus thuringiensis israelensis — in early March and got ahead of the first cycle. But when the wet weeks continued, there was too much they couldn’t get to with the increased areas of standing water. 

While most standing water will evaporate as temperature increases, Kirk asks that everyone check their property for any water left out, and to call them if the puddle is too large to look after yourself. 

“As soon as temperatures hit that 30 degree mark, which we’re expecting by the end of the month, we’re going to see a decline in that mosquito,” Kirk said. “The temperature just dries up that standing water.”

Kirk expects her team will be working full time until mid August to continue tackling the sites.