Mosquito Management Program - limitations

There are limitations to our mosquito management program.

There are many factors that impact the effectiveness of our mosquito management program:

Mosquitoes are part of the natural ecosystem and it is not possible to eliminate all mosquitoes.
Much of our coastal environment is conducive to mosquito breeding and is protected by international environmental charters limiting the amount of mosquito management activity that can take place in these areas
The differing flora and vegetation around our municipality make some areas better for mosquito harbouring than other areas (for example: tea tree in Point Lonsdale the Geelong Botanic Gardens)
We have limited resources to investigate all potential mosquito breeding sites residents must take responsibility to eliminate mosquito breeding around their homes
Residents have differing tolerance levels to mosquitoes making it difficult to satisfy everyone
Treatment products and application methods are not 100 percent effective due to vegetation environmental conditions and climatic variations. Therefore there will always be mosquitoes around.

Several species of mosquitoes are found in the Geelong area and most can survive a broad range of weather conditions.

There are steps you can take to protect yourself and your family from mosquitoes.

The treatment we use in our mosquito management program is aimed at reducing mosquito larvae before they emerge as adults and lay eggs.

There are some simple things you can do to avoid mosquito bites: Wear light coloured loose fitting clothes that cover your arms and legs. Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colours Use effective mosquito repellents those containing DEET and picaridin are most effective. Always follow label instructions when applying repellents Limit outdoor activity if mosquito levels are high especially at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active Use ‘knockdown’ sprays in outdoor areas Ensure windows and doors are fitted with flywire screens Visit the Better Health Channel for more information.