With with the constant wet weather through the first half of this year comes an increase in annoying mosquitoes.
With that, the Capital Regional District (CRD) are working with the Tsawout First Nation and District of Central Saanich to find environmentally appropriate ways to address mosquito breeding habitat on public and private lands.
According to the CRD, the Island View Beach area in Saanichton is experiencing above average nuisance mosquito numbers, which has been compounded by persistently wet conditions.
The CRD said it has contracted engineers to assess the ditch system around Island View Beach and has already identified several ideas.
Smaller work such as applying larvicide, clearing ditch obstructions with hand tools, improving accesses to ditches, and maintenance to the flapper gate will be completed throughout the coming months
Larger work such as overall ditch maintenance (vegetation removal and water flow improvement) requiring heavy equipment will be completed once the drainage areas are dry enough for machinery to access later in the year.
Factors like standing water left over from the amount of rainfall so far this year have impacted bug populations and as the temperatures warm, the mosquitoes will emerge in masses.
So next time you head to Island View, don’t forget the bug repellent!
