After a virtually mosquito-free summer last season, Winnipeg won’t be lucky two years in a row.
City entomologist Taz Stuart said on Thursday the recent accumulation of rain over the last week has created ideal breeding conditions for nuisance mosquitoes.
Approximately 85-130 millimetres of rain has fallen in the past week, making it possible for a large population of the pesky insect to emerge.
Stuart said it’s crucial for residents to dump any standing water on their property to help reduce the risk of mosquitoes developing. The city can’t treat areas on private property, therefore it’s the responsibility of the homeowner to handle standing water in their yards.
Larviciding crews are currently out and will treat as many areas as possible in the next two weeks.
Stuart said if the city sees cooler temperatures and no significant rainfall by mid-June, it will help to make the mosquito situation tolerable. If warm, muggy weather mixed with rain should occur, the mosquito population could spike significantly.
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