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Why so many mosquitoes? An expert speaks: o2 i. N6 U" z- p3 {
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By Glyn Williams, Edmonton Journal July 20, 2011$ V7 y, F% `* Y7 J9 g4 d9 N! P1 k
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9 l; F" S) h) e+ K/ nThis is a story about the city's mosquito program I have wanted to tell for weeks. However, I was working part-time with the city and I was informed by Parks management that, as an employee, I couldn't really do this.
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So on Tuesday I discontinued employment with the city and I now have the freedom to speak.
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5 S O9 H" L- g0 s) @- jI worked with the mosquito program for more than 30 years and most of it was as a supervisor./ _: N6 D: ]7 c7 v" k
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We don't need numbers to tell us the mosquitoes in Alberta are awful this year. This is not surprising, given the biggest snow melt in living memory and rainfall accumulations better than 200 millimetres. Even the most effective mosquito program in the world would have seen an increase in the numbers.$ {$ F$ C/ Z& O* p. L
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It's not rocket science why Edmonton's mosquito program has failed us so badly. The program doesn't have enough helicopters, staff or equipment to do the job properly.- n* }2 _& J" a' r+ d3 E
2 ]# }, E/ b; {4 \7 {Prior to the drought the city would utilize four and even five helicopters to deal with this much standing water. Today the program utilizes two helicopters. Staff numbers haven't increased at all in more than 30 years.
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, d7 s* {8 h- E% R, f( aThe mosquito program was funded to treat 35,000 hectares by air in the 1980s and I doubt it has the funding to do half that amount today.
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The quickest a full mosquito program has ever been completed with two aircraft is 17 days in spring conditions.
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$ f! ~ c- z8 e8 R* u& A0 bIn the summer it's more difficult because of the growth of vegetation. Typically you have a long week to complete a mosquito program in the heat of summer. Two helicopters will never complete a wet program in the summer.- f# ~& M+ ?) p. _7 H# w# v
+ Z7 P0 s. X" d1 ^& |+ u4 Z! b- s3 pWhy did they cut back to only two helicopters? Years of drought created a situation where the program became overfunded for the field conditions.4 Q( _% t! m. b# c1 o. o6 n
, s0 k; g, J' R1 [# ]$ nSo the right thing to do was reduce funding and cut the helicopter commitment. At one time we had a guarantee of three aircraft and extra if needed.
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Today the contractor has reduced the fleet available, because, in part, of the downsizing of mosquito-control needs. Now the city cannot acquire additional helicopters with gear required and pilots with the certification to conduct mosquito control.
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There will be even worse news to come when the program is no longer able to use Dursban, which is the most effective product in combating these pests.0 a% b) O% R3 I/ T2 C+ C
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The people involved in Edmonton's abatement program are dedicated. Believe me, they feel bad and have beaten themselves up over it. They shouldn't, because each and every one of them has always busted their butts to try to ensure an effective program.
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k( p3 e# [5 ]" u# qThey didn't stand a chance under the circumstances. I knew it as the rain was falling and I suspect a few other old-timers may have known it, too. I0 J8 h0 O8 T: ~% x ?/ h( U9 W
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Glyn Williams, retired pest management team leader, Edmonton# t+ R6 o- L; A2 }4 C2 y
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