A female aedes japonicus mosquito is seen biting a person in this May 2015 handout photograph. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Sean McCann)
After a relatively calm spring and early summer mosquito-wise, Winnipeg is preparing to fog for the first time this season.
Recent rainfall accumulating to 180 mm in the city has prompted the Insect Control Branch to aggressively larvicide to control mosquitoes, but officials say that is no longer effective.
Fogging will begin Saturday at 9:30 p.m. and run until 6:30 a.m. Sunday morning.
The city-wide Adulticiding Factor Analysis (AFA) factor moved from medium to high on Friday, meaning the minimum city-wide average trap count is at least 25 female mosquitoes for two consecutive nights. Another factor that prompts mosquito fogging is when one or more of the quadrants of the city are in the range of 100 female adult mosquitoes. As of Thursday, one quadrant in the northwest was registering 134 mosquitoes.
The city will identify which areas will be targeted for fogging at least eight hours in advance and alert the public. Fogging will be carried out daily unless temperatures are below 13°C and/or wind speeds are not conducive to fogging.
Residents can register for a 90-metre buffer zone by contacting 311. The city is also reminding property owners to dump and drain containers of standing water.
