Call to stop mosquitoes

Wet and warm weather means mosquitoes are starting to breed.

James Gathany

THE recent wet weather coupled with hot and humid conditions have provided the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes, and Bundaberg Regional Council wants residents to help stop them breeding.

Council health and environmental services spokeswoman Mary Wilkinson said minimising mosquito breeding around the home now would ensure a far more comfortable summer.

"Residents should be aware that different types of mosquitoes can breed in a number of areas around the home - everything from your pot plant containing water, to bird baths, old car tyres, boats and other items stored in the yard, knots in trees, rainwater tanks and poorly maintained swimming pools," she said.

"The species of freshwater mosquitoes that typically breed in and around the home are of particular concern as they have the potential to carry quite serious and debilitating diseases."

Cr Wilkinson said several species had the ability to complete the life cycle from egg to adult in five days in mid summer with high temperatures so it was important ongoing maintenance was carried out around the home.

"Things like checking roof guttering for ponding, checking rain water tanks, including screening inlet and overflow outlets, and trimming back trees from your roofline is important," she said.

Council health and environmental services director Greg Savage said some mosquitoes presently in and around homes were breeding in floodwater ponds in fields and paddocks and could travel for many kilometres.

BITE BACK

To minimise mosquito breeding around your home, council health and environmental services spokeswoman Mary Wilkinson advises:

• Clearing out water from pot plants, car tyres, boats and other items in the yard
• Checking roof gutters for pondage and trimming trees back from the roofline
• Checking rainwater tanks