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Lethbridge's mosquito population not ‘too bad' so far this year: city

Though mosquitoes are starting to be seen around Lethbridge, the city's sole mosquito technician says the population isn't 'too bad' so far. Sean Ponech – who spends his spring and summer checking shallow, stagnant water for larvae – says population levels have been medium to low. Aside from the heavy rainfall in June, Ponech says the region has been dry. 'Four days after a rainfall is when you can start to see the larvae of the mosquito,' he said. 'If it does rain, it'll definitely increase the population a bit – but we're hoping to [mitigate that].' The city uses a naturally occurring bacteria to control and prevent the mosquitoes. The larvicide is coated in cornmeal, which Ponech then throws into the areas with known larvae. 'We just toss the product into the water, and then the larvae eat it, and it dies,' he explained. While the city monitors public land, residents are encouraged to do their part to control mosquito population levels by removing stagnant water from their properties. 'If you have a bird bath or a fountain, you want to make sure you're refreshing that water regularly,' said Kathleen Sheppard, executive director of Environment Lethbridge. Before venturing out, Sheppard says be prepared by wearing long sleeves, avoiding peak mosquito times such as dust and dawn and using natural repellents like citronella. 'From a vegetation standpoint, there are plants that you can put in your garden that mosquitoes don't like,' she said. 'Not surprisingly, that's some of the stronger smelling herbs –things like your rosemary, your basil, your mint – and then things like nasturtium, lavender, marigolds and beebalms.' Sheppard says using natural remedies rather than chemicals is critical to protecting the environment. 'We're all annoyed by mosquitoes, but mosquitoes are really, really important for our local bird populations in particular,' she said. 'They're a major food source, and when we're using pesticides and things, we're not just impacting mosquitoes, we're impacting all sorts of insects – and that in turns harms birds and other creatures.' The city will continue to monitor the mosquito population in Lethbridge throughout the summer until temperatures begin to cool in the fall.