City entomologist Taz Stuart updates the media on the mosquito situation during a briefing on Thursday, June 23, 2011. (CHRISD.CA)
The City of Winnipeg is reducing its mosquito fogging buffer zone from 100-metres to 90-metres, after getting the green light from the province.
The city will also test to see if reducing the buffer zone even further is appropriate, but won’t necessarily be able to reduce it either way. Malathion is governed federally, meaning buffer zones can be no smaller than 90-metres when using the chemical.
The cost of the test is estimated at between $100,000 to $200,000 as proposed in May. The city is still waiting to hear back from the province about proper testing protocol.
Meanwhile, Winnipeggers will be pleased to know the double whammy of spring and summer adult mosquitoes we were expecting won’t hit. City entomologist Taz Stuart says due to cool temperatures, the spring mosquitoes have since died off and only summer mosquitoes remain in the traps. The trap count currently sits at five.
The city is continuing to larvicide standing water, and depending on the weather, the second generation of summer mosquitoes will begin appearing in the next seven days.
No firm date for when mosquito fogging will commence was announced.
