The City of Airdrie mosquito monitoring and control program begins in May and continues throughout the summer until the end of August.
The program includes surveillance to scout for potential mosquito breeding habitats, and then testing the sites for mosquito larvae. These sites are often found in stagnant water, such as ditches or standing water that may be surrounded by vegetation.
If it is determined that the site needs control, the Parks department uses a highly selective biological larvicide, which is naturally occurring bacterium. This product is effective on mosquito larvae found in the water and destroy the larvae before they become biting adults.
When spraying is to take place, a sign will be posted in the treatment area a minimum of 24 hours prior to the scheduled treatment and will stay in place for 48 hours following the application. The City maintains a 15 metre buffer zone surrounding all playground structures.
All pesticides used by the City of Airdrie are registered for intended use and go through stringent testing by Health Canada.