The wet season brings joy to our area, but also mosquitoes. Their bites can be painful and uncomfortable, but mosquitoes are also able to transmit diseases to humans and animals. There are many steps you can take to protect yourself and family from mosquitoes, such as:
- Use insect repellent to deter mosquitoes from biting, ensuring that you read and follow all directions and precautions. Carefully check the directions when applying to babies and children.
- Wear long, loose clothing to help protect yourself from bites (light coloured clothes are best).
- Use a plug-in insecticide vaporiser (indoors) or mosquito coils (outdoors).
The following tips may help with avoiding or reducing mosquitoes on your property:
- Install or repair insect screens on all doors and windows, especially in sleeping areas.
- Avoid the accumulation of still water, such as bird baths, water features / ponds, and areas where water pools and cannot drain away quickly
- Place sand around the base of pot plants to absorb water
- Dispose of any unwanted items that hold water
- Ensure that your property is kept tidy and free of items and vegetation that could hold water or prevent evaporation
- Empty all bird baths and pet’s drinking water on a regular basis
- Screen all openings to tanks, ponds or other large water containers
- Remove leaves and debris from roof guttering regularly
- Keep swimming pool chlorinated
- Stock fish ponds with fish
Rainwater tanks and mosquitoes
Rainwater tanks that are not properly sealed and screened can provide ideal conditions for these types of mosquitoes to breed all year round. You can stop mosquitoes breeding in your rainwater tank by:
- ensuring there is no debris in the tank
- cleaning roof guttering to prevent water pooling
- ensuring water does not pool on the tank lid
- sealing all entry routes to the rainwater tank including inlet and overflow pipes with mosquito-proof screens.
- install mosquito-proof screens which must:
- have openings less than one millimetre
- be made of stainless steel or aluminium
- be secure but removable for cleaning.
If you find mosquito larvae (or “wrigglers”) inside the tank, you can eliminate them by adding a small amount of liquid paraffin or edible kitchen oil to form a thin film on the surface of the water. This stops any hatched mosquitoes flying off. It is recommended you find out how the mosquitoes got into your rainwater tank and make necessary repairs to ensure your tank is sealed.
Longreach Regional Council does not undertake Vector Control programs; however any specialist advice or management will be outsourced to a suitable contractor if required.
