Tackling the scourge of meddling mosquitoes is all in a day’s work for City of Moreton Bay’s Vector Control team.
The team, led by Kriss Mahoney, is responsible for all mosquito management activities undertaken by Council to assist Queensland Health with combating any number of mosquito-borne diseases.
That means using Best Practice methods to keep mozzies at bay, such as adhering to Council’s Mosquito Management Protocol which documents all of the team’s mosquito management practices.
“The team runs an aerial application of larvicides program to approximately 30,000 hectares of saltmarsh area annually,” Mr Mahoney said.
“They also set light traps to monitor for adult mosquitoes and participate in specific monitoring programs for exotic mosquito species because mosquitoes are vectors for diseases such as Japanese encephalitis, Dengue fever, Ross River fever and Barmah Forest virus.”
Ground treatments such as the application of barrier treatments and fogging are also undertaken to manage adult mosquito numbers in high public use areas.
City of Moreton Bay also participates in the Northeast Mosquito Management Organisation where councils report on their control programs and discuss treatment strategies and innovations within the industry.
Mr Mahoney said the team frequently collaborates with research bodies around best use of products, testing of new products and equipment and sampling and trapping to identify invasive species and detection of mosquito-borne virus.
“Recently we have participated in a field trial with Queensland Institute of Medical Research Berghofer around vegetation barriers for the reduction of midge and mosquitoes,” he said.
But mosquitoes aren’t the only threat the team deals within City of Moreton Bay.
Being licensed Pest Management Technicians, the team also undertake fire ant surveillance and treatments and responds to rodent, termite, wasp and general pest issues on Council property.
City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said the daily efforts of the Vector Control team were crucial in keeping potential disease outbreaks under control.
“We are blessed to live in a city surrounded by natural beauty, but we need to remain vigilant about the disease threat posed by mosquitoes and other vermin,” he said.
“Using Best Practice, Council’s Vector Control team does an exceptional job in managing those threats on a daily basis, wherever they may be lurking.”
