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Reducing mosquitoes while caring for the environment they live in
The City of Red Deer funds and operates an environmentally-sensitive mosquito control program that is designed to reduce nuisance mosquito populations in our community to tolerable levels. There have been approximately 30 different species of mosquitoes documented in the Red Deer area.
How mosquitoes are controlled
A microbial control product called Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti), approved for use by Health Canada, is a pesticide selectively used to treat the aquatic larval stage of the mosquito life cycle before it emerges as an adult. This process is called larviciding.
Bti has been used since the program was established over 15 years ago and is non-toxic to other beneficial aquatic organisms, such as dragonfly larvae and water beetles. There are no detrimental effects on birds, mammals, fish or other animals.
When and where Red Deer's mosquito control program operates
The mosquito program area includes the city of Red Deer and extends several kilometres beyond the city. The program normally runs from April to August and consists of both a spring and summer phase.
Mosquitoes targeted with larvicides in the spring program include about 10 species that have one generation per season and hatch in snowmelt water. The program also targets four to five summer species that have a number of generations per season and hatch with summer rainfalls.
Why mosquitoes may sometimes increase
The mosquito program cannot completely eliminate mosquito populations, but can only help control and reduce them to tolerable levels. Mosquito populations in Red Deer may at times increase as a result of adults migrating in from the surrounding, non-treated areas.
The Mosquito Control Program operates in accordance with Pesticide Service Registration 17449-02-01.
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