City of Saskatoon: Pest Management Division – Mosquito

Control - DAY 1

Pest Management in Saskatoon

• The city of Saskatoon uses the “Integrated Pest Management” (IPM) System which includes the following:– Planning and executing effective pest management

techniques– Setting thresholds based on health and environmental

needs– Surveillance, identification and detection of pests – Evaluation of the effectiveness of techniques to

ensure maximum success– Communication with the public to keep them informed

of pest management activities

Common Pests in Saskatoon:

• ______________________________________• ______________________________________• ______________________________________

• The City of Saskatoon is committed to using the __________________ control methods possible– The use of _________________________________

and only put into action when __________________ effective alternatives are available

Mosquitoes• Belong to the order Diptera

– Biting, _____________________________________– ___________________ group of insects– _____________________ species of mosquitoes in Sask.

• Have specialized _______________________________– Sword like mouth that punctures the skin and forces its way into

a blood vessel

• Require a _____________________– Blood is required by ___________________ mosquitoes

• ________________________ mosquitoes bite

– Blood is used as a protein to help ________________________– As a result, they are a nuisance to humans when they bite

• Saliva contains a protein which causes an allergic reaction in our skin, leaving us with ________________________

Life Cycle of a Mosquito

Mosquito Life Cycle: 1) Eggs• Eggs are laid by

_________________________ mosquitoes

• Eggs are laid where there is, or will be ___________________

• Eggs tend to be laid in _________________________

• Many eggs can be laid in the summer/fall of one season and remain _________________ over the winter– Eggs are then capable of hatching the

________________________ when the snow melts and forms pools of standing water

Mosquito Life Cycle: 2) Larva• Longest stage of development

– Takes approx _________________

• Found along the __________________________

• Feed on ___________________ in the water

• Breathe using a siphon tube that extends out of the water

• Known as __________________ due to the characteristic movement that they make

• Prime stage for ___________________________ mosquitoes

Mosquito Life Cycle: 3) Pupa• Shaped like a _________ • Known as a __________

based on its style of movement– Pupa tumble quickly through

the water• Difficult stage because it

____________________ to pesticide treatment– ______________________

with pesticides; mosquitoes will definitely hatch into adults

• Stage lasts approximately ____________________ and then the mosquito leaves the water as an adult

Mosquito Life Cycle: 4) Adult

• These are the mosquitoes we are used to seeing

• Males travel in ________________ to attract females– Male mosquitoes ______________

• Females travel ______________ to find swarms to reproduce

• Females then require a _________– Need blood for egg development– This is why we get bitten

• Mosquitoes are most prevalent between _____________________

• Mosquitoes are most active around _______________________ and on __________________________

Treatment of mosquitoes during their LARVAL stage is the most effective

– Larva is easy to locate• Can ONLY develop in ____________________________________• This is the ONLY stage where mosquito populations are

______________________________________________________– Larva is easy to identify

• Wrigglers can easily be ___________________ with the naked eye– Larva is easy to treat with pesticide

• Larvacide is easily ______________________________________– Pesticide is least harmful to humans and the environment

• Larvacide is a ___________________________ pesticide• ________________________ to humans and other animals• Bacteria that ONLY targets ________________________________• Does _____________________________ the environment

– Treating adult mosquitoes is too invasive and dangerous• Pesticide is highly toxic; ______________________________• Impossible to predict where large numbers of adult mosquitoes will

be; equally impossible to kill them all

Fighting Mosquitoes: Step 1- Identify the Larval Habitat

• Remember: Mosquito larva NEEDS a warm, shallow, standing water environment to grow

• Examples of standing water environments include:– ____________________________

___________________________, and any other areas that can collect water such as ____________________________

• Fast flowing, deep water is NOT a likely location for mosquito larva to grow– ____________________________

will likely not have mosquito larva– Why?

Fighting Mosquitoes: Step 2 – Check for and Identify Larva

• Check standing water for larva by taking a “dip”

• Use a _________________– Looks like a big soup ladle

• If larva is present, you will be able to see them ________________________ in the dipper

• Important to dip at many locations around one area of standing water (larva tends to _______________________)

• If there are _______________ larvae per dip, the use of pesticide is justified

Fighting Mosquitoes: Step 3 – Applying Pesticide

• Mosquito larvacide comes in a ________________________, attached to _______________

• It is applied to standing water using a ________________________

• In larger or more dangerous areas it is sprayed off the back of a vehicle known as an ________________– Argo’s are great for covering

_______________________ of shallow standing water

– They are 8-wheel drive• Virtually never can get stuck• Can travel almost vertically

– They can also ________________________