Sydney’s Northern Beaches Council is battling an influx of mosquitoes, with the beachside suburb recording an increase in mosquito trappings as part of the NSW Arbovirus Surveillance and Mosquito Monitoring Program.
“Mosquitos are a nuisance, but unfortunately, we have to live with them and there are some environments on the Beaches which are more prone to them,” said Northern Beaches Mayor, Michael Regan.
“While nothing sinister has been reported in the trappings in the last few months, the numbers are up on previous years due to increased rain this summer as a result of La Niña.”
During December 2021 and January 2022, weekly mosquito counts have been between medium (50-100) and high (101-1000 per trap) throughout the trapping season.
These numbers are expected to continue due to current weather patterns, the Mayor said.
He said that while the counts have been high, the numbers have mostly been “nuisance biters” and not species that transmit viral infections.
The two key species (Culex annulirostris, Aedes vigilax) that are associated transmission of viral infections like Ross River Virus or Barmah Forest virus have only been present on the Northern Beaches in lower numbers than previous seasons with some higher numbers recorded in other parts of the State.
Mosquito monitoring is currently being undertaken at Warriewood Wetlands and near Deep Creek near the Narrabeen Lagoon trail.
The program kicked off in November 2021 and will run through until 30 April 2022.
The Northern Beaches Council Mosquito Management Plan is available here.
