Mosquito activity expected to be low during dry spring: city

Mike Jenkins, Edmonton's integrated pest management coordinator, surveys for mosquitoes on June 10, 2022 (Amanda Anderson/CTV News Edmonton).

A dry spring so far means mosquito activity will be low in Edmonton for now, a city expert says.

The City of Edmonton issued its first mosquito update on Wednesday as crews begin control efforts.

"As you can see, it's incredibly dry. We had a dry fall, dry spring, and pretty much all the snow has already gone and there's very little water on the ground," City of Edmonton senior scientist Mike Jenkins told CTV News Edmonton.

"What happens later in the season depends entirely on precipitation … it's really hard to predict what's going to happen without knowing what's going to happen in terms of rainfall … if we get lots of rain, we get lots of mosquitoes."

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Even where there's some water in Edmonton, Jenkins said crews have not found much mosquito activity.

Edmontonians are encouraged to check their backyards for places where water can collect, such as rubber tires, eavestroughs or ornamental pools.

When mosquito activity increases, avoid bites by staying inside during dawn and dusk, covering up with sleeves and long pants and using effective repellent.

For more information visit the city's mosquitoes website.