Climate change associated with rising mosquito populations in the Okanagan

PENTICTON – Climate change means the spring melt is coming sooner and the early freshet means more mosquitoes are hatching more often than in past years in the Okanagan.

"I think we’ve all been addressing climate change," Wildsafe B.C. Community Coordinator Zoe Kirk told a recent Okanagan Similkameen Regional District board meeting.

"We started the freshet early for the second time in three years, but this time it was incredibly early, so when the water started to rise, we began getting calls in March about nuisance mosquitoes." Kirk said.

Mosquito Control Program Crew Leader Cindy Boehm said mosquito eggs laid during high water levels can lay dormant for years, hatching during high water events similar to what occurred earlier this year. The result was a huge hatch of mosquitoes, much earlier in the year than normal. She said mosquitoes lay eggs at various water levels, and as those levels recede, new hatches are occurring.

“If we have a rain event, and water levels rise even a little, there’s a new hatch,” she said, adding as weather gets warmer, hatches can occur every three or four days, as opposed to three weeks when weather is cooler.

Boehm said the regional district treatment program uses a naturally occurring bacteria to control mosquitos.

“We don’t fog. If we can get into the water, where they are concentrated, we can kill them,” she said.

Boehm says there are many different species of mosquitoes in the valley, three of which can cause health issues. She says she is already seeing the species that carries West Nile in the South Okanagan this year, a species normally seen later in the summer.

“They are pretty good at spreading heart worm, so it’s a good idea to ensure your pet is on a program through the summer so your dog doesn’t get sick,” she said.

She said there are some concerns about Zika virus spreading into Canada, noting research into the issue is taking place in Winnipeg.

“We’re trying to figure that out. We should know by the end of the year.”


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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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