Red Deer citizens should have fewer mosquitoes to swat away this spring and summer as long as Mother Nature co-operates.
The lingering snow pushed the city’s mosquito control program back by a few weeks but crews started treating for the blood-thirsty pests on Tuesday.
“We are seeing some larva in later stages already, but we’re also seeing areas that are drying up,” said Ken Lehman, parks planning and ecological specialist.
“In terms of numbers, we’re not seeing anything out of the usual.”
The recent warm temperatures and minimal precipitation have helped soak up some of the snow melt that collected and pooled, he noted.
But a shift in the weather can easily result in increased mosquito populations.
“If we have some wet periods over the next few weeks — like wet, wet — then it will certainly amp up the potential for more larva to hatch,” Lehman said.
Crews are currently treating well-known larva hatching sites around the city, such as low-lying and grassy areas as well as ditches.
They will next treat the most prevalent mosquito breeding locations on the outskirts of Red Deer.
The wet spring and summer of 2010 created prime mosquito conditions compared to the previous few years that were fairly dry, Lehman said.
The Red Deer area has been identified as having a low risk for West Nile virus.
ptrotter@www.reddeeradvocate.com