Larviciding is key to reducing the mosquito population

Crews target standing water starting in spring

April 29, 2020

Being flat, with impermeable soil and large bodies of standing water makes Winnipeg the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes.

“That’s also why Winnipeg is home to the largest municipal mosquito control program in Canada,” said Ken Nawolsky, the Superintendent of Insect Control for the City of Winnipeg.

Mosquitoes breed in water. So starting in spring through mid-September, the City uses helicopters and ground crews to target all known mosquito habitats in an effort to reduce the insect’s populations. In some cases off-road vehicles are used to get to difficult to reach areas.

Crews will also larvicide up to 12 km beyond the City limits.

Crews can use different vehicles to ensure mosquito breeding grounds are treated.

Crews follow all regulations when Larviciding.

“Once their eggs hatch, the highly concentrated larvae matures into adult mosquitoes in about a week,” Nawolsky said. “This is the insect’s most vulnerable stage.”

Larviciding is the largest component of the City’s insect control program. It prevents the mosquitoes from ever reaching the adult, biting stage. It is the most effective and environmentally acceptable method of mosquito population reduction.

The crews will use insecticides that are approved by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency.

Depending on water conditions, the City will monitor and treat more than 28,000 hectares of water each year.

Originally posted on May 29, 2019

Animals and Insects

Was this information helpful?

How can we make this web page better?

Information collected will be used to improve our website. Do not use this form to submit a request for service or information because it will not be forwarded to departments for response. To submit a request for service or information, contact 311.

This form is not intended to collect personal information; however, any personal information you choose to include in your comments is collected by the City of Winnipeg under the authority of section 36(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for the purpose of improving our website and will not be used or disclosed for any other purposes, except as authorized by law. Contact the Corporate Access and Privacy Officer by mail (City Clerk’s Department, Susan A. Thompson Building, 510 Main Street, Winnipeg MB, R3B 1B9) or by telephone (311) if you have any questions about the collection of this information.

Ces renseignements sont-ils utiles?

Comment pourrait-on améliorer cette page Web?

Les renseignements recueillis serviront à l’amélioration de notre site Web. Prière de ne pas se servir de ce formulaire pour soumettre une demande de service ou de renseignements, car la demande ne sera pas transmise au service en question. Pour soumettre une demande de service ou de renseignements, veuillez communiquer avec le 311.

Le présent formulaire ne vise pas à recueillir des renseignements personnels. Cependant, les renseignements personnels que vous choisissez d’inclure dans vos commentaires sont recueillis par la Ville de Winnipeg en conformité avec l’alinéa 36(1)b) de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information et la protection de la vie privée dans le but d’améliorer son site Web et ne seront ni utilisés ni divulgués pour d’autres raisons, sauf dans les cas où cela est autorisé par la loi. Communiquez avec l’agent de l’accès à l’information et de la protection de la vie privée de la Ville par courrier au Bureau du greffier, immeuble Susan-A.-Thompson, 510, rue Main, Winnipeg (Manitoba) R3B 1B9, ou par téléphone au 311 si vous avez des questions sur la collecte de ces renseignements.