Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes need water and a small amount of nutrients to breed. During hot humid conditions, eggs can develop to mature adults within a week.

Breeding occurs in freshwater after periods of high rainfall as well as in tidal saltmarshes after high tides.

Find out more in the mosquito management fact sheet.(PDF, 2MB)

There are number of steps residents can take to help reduce mosquito breeding areas around the home:

• Dispose of all containers which hold water.
• Clean out your gutters regularly.
• Keep fishponds stocked with fish and keep the edges of ponds and drains clear of grass.
• Keep swimming pools full and properly maintained.
• Screen rainwater tanks and ensure guttering is not holding water.
• Screen all septic tank vents and seal all gaps.
• Fill or drain depressions in the ground that hold water.
• Empty pot plant drip trays once a week or fill them with sand.
• Maintain drains so that water can flow away within two to three days.
• Do not over irrigate.

Find out more in the mosquito management fact sheet.(PDF, 2MB)

Council's Vector Control team aims to keep mosquito populations to acceptable levels through various forms of treatment and control, particularly in mosquito breeding areas (salt marsh and freshwater areas) adjacent to residential areas.

Pre-Treatment Applications

Council undertakes an extensive pre-treatment program to control areas that are subject to infrequent or irregular tidal inundations and areas that are difficult to access.

S-Methoprene briquettes are utilised which provide a more targeted and environmentally sustainable approach to mosquito management. The briquettes release a natural substance into the water that stops mosquito larvae from growing into adults, with minimal impact on other fauna. The program greatly reduces the need for more broader aerial applications.

Aerial Larviciding

Council successfully introduced aerial larviciding in 2004. This method of larviciding supplements the extensive ground based larviciding program which operates all year round.

Aerial treatments are undertaken when extensive breeding occurs following king tides and continuous high rainfall. This allows greater access to large breeding sites which can be treated in a much shorter period in extreme circumstances.

Council uses a helicopter to distribute environmentally friendly, target specific larviciding products which provide both immediate and residual control.

Expansion of the pre-treatment program in 2022 has greatly reduced the need for aerial larviciding.

Documents

• Vector management plan(PDF, 864KB)

Mackay Regional Council is a member of the Mackay and Region Health and Vector Control Group. Its focus is dengue fever preventative promotion and education.

Council and its mosquito control staff are also corporate and individual members of the Mosquito Control Association of Australia (MCAA).

If mosquitoes are causing a nuisance in your neighbourhood, contact council by lodging a request via online services, Snap Send Solve app or by calling the Customer Service Centre on 1300 MACKAY (622 529).

What Work is Done Before the Wet Season to Reduce Mosquito Numbers?

A lot of the mosquito control work is done prior to the start of the wet season.

In the months leading up to summer, our vector control teams lay about 10,000 briquettes in strategic locations between Armstrongs Beach and Midge Point.

These can sit dormant for more than 100 days and active in the first rains. This then releases a larvicide, preventing the mosquitoes from hatching.

What Happens After a Significant Rain Event?

After the rain it’s very common for there to be an explosion in mosquito numbers, especially in areas near the coast and swampy regions.

In areas where briquettes have been laid, the larvicide will reduce the number of eggs that hatch.

However if the numbers of mosquitoes is significant and there is potential for disease outbreak (such as Dengue fever or Ross River fever) fogging can be done to further control numbers.

What is Fogging and is It Safe?

Fogging is a special mist that vector control crews can disperse in hot spot areas. There are certain conditions that this can be done in and this work will generally only be done in the hours before sunrise. This prevents the mist from burning off before it can reach target areas.

The mist doesn’t pose a threat to human or pet health, however if you suffer from respiratory conditions, it’s recommended that you remain indoors.

The active chemicals in the mist do affect other non-target species like butterflies, bees and other insects. For this reason, fogging isn’t used often, but it is done where there is potential for disease outbreak.

The Mosquitoes Are Really Bad in My Area – Who Do I Tell?

Our vector control team has a schedule of works that they follow, but they can also respond to community requests and concerns.

If you are experiencing problems with mosquitoes in your area, you can lodge a customer request via online services or through the Snap Send Solve app. Alternatively, you can call 1300 MACKAY (622 529) and lodge a request with the Customer Call Centre.

It’s important that any concerns are lodged with council and not just on social media channels. Providing this information helps council to identify areas of concern and respond appropriately.

What Steps Can I Take to Prevent Being Bitten?

Prevention is always better than a cure, so eliminating areas around your home and yard where mosquitoes can breed is a key measure you and your family can take to stay safe.

Fogging Has Been Done in My Area, So Why Are the Mozzies Still So Bad?

Fogging is just one method used by our vector control team. There is no one treatment that eliminates all mosquitoes, so a suite of options is used.

Fogging is only effective at killing the mosquitoes in the air at the time of the work. As new mosquitoes emerge from the water they will continue to return to populated areas. This will continue until the water has been tipped out or dries up.

Given the number of variables at any location it’s not possible to say how long it will take for residents to notice a decrease in numbers after fogging has been done.

Follow tips from Dengue Damo on how to stop mozzies in their tracks.