For the fourth consecutive season, Council is taking part in the NSW Arbovirus Surveillance and Mosquito Monitoring Program facilitated by NSW Health aimed to track these pesky insects and their activity to keep our community safe.

Northern Beaches CEO Ray Brownlee said that the annual campaign includes a local public education program to raise awareness of the risk mosquitoes pose and provides personal protection measures consistent with NSW Health guidelines to minimise getting bitten.

“They’re a nuisance that can adversely impact our quality of life and enjoyment of recreational activities, but they are a natural part of our wetland and bushland habitats, so we have to learn to live safely with them.

“We know they can become abundant when the conditions are suitable, especially with increased rainfall making optimal breeding grounds for them to multiply.

“Thankfully, with fluctuating climatic and environmental conditions, the surveillance program over the past few years has mostly identified nuisance biters with low detections of species of concern. Last season saw five arbovirus detections in traps set, and lower arbovirus notifications to NSW Health of people who became unwell.

“While most mosquitoes pose little or no risk, a small number can pose a potential threat through the transmission of arboviruses which are a group of viruses transmitted via insects that bite and feed on blood.” Mr Brownlee said.

Mosquito monitoring will again be undertaken at Warriewood Wetlands and Deep Creek (Narrabeen Lagoon).

Over the five-month surveillance program last year, we saw one instance of the Barmah Forest virus and four Ross River Virus detections, with the community being notified immediately.

Mosquito numbers over the trapping season ranged from low (<50) to high (101-1000). The high number can be attributed to the exceptionally wet conditions following substantial rainfall over this period.

The best ways to avoid being bitten according to NSW Health include:

• Use personal insect repellents, with the most effective products containing DEET. This is the first line of protection against biting mosquitoes. Although it is not recommended to use these on children under three months, instead use physical barriers such as netting on prams, cots, and play areas.
• Avoid being outside unprotected at dusk, when mosquitoes are commonly active, and cover up as much as possible with light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing and covered footwear.
• Ensure water-filled containers in backyards like pot-plant saucers, bird baths, roof gutters, rainwater tanks or water-holding plants are regularly emptied out to minimise a breeding ground.
• Use flyscreens on windows and doors of houses and keep them in good order.

The program kicks off on 1 November 2022 and will run until 30 April 2023.

The Northern Beaches Council Mosquito Management Plan is available here.

Check out this NSW Health page for more tips on how to control mosquitoes around the home, and the weekly surveillance results of the program can be viewed on the NSW Health website.