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Calgary

Skeeter-geddon might not be coming this year

Like most reports of a coming apocalypse, rumours of a mosquito infestation the likes of which we've never seen are possibly overblown, the city's pest control officials report from the frontline.

City crews monitor larvae, drop bio-bombs in lead up to the buzzing season

Calgary mosquito monitoring

8 years ago
Duration 0:49
The City of Calgary's pest management experts are on a mosquito reconnaissance mission monitoring conditions, figuring out larval concentrations and then predicting the coming swarm.

Like most reports of a coming apocalypse, rumours of a mosquito infestation the likes of which we've never seen are possibly overblown.

The city of Calgary's pest management experts are on a mosquito reconnaissance missionmonitoring conditions,figuring out larval concentrations and thenpredicting the coming swarm.

Once larvae are detected, an air war begins, with corn husk granules infused with bacteria dropped from a helicopter. This bio warfare only affects the larvae.

The city then shifts to a ground offensiveto monitorthe adult population and determinewether they're winning or not.

So where do we stand?

"It's a sub-normal year in terms of mosquito numbers because it's been very dry and there's been really not much of an opportunity for them to build up their numbers," said integrated pest management technician Jim Watts.

"So even if we didn't do an aerial program it wouldat least the way it sits right nowit would be a below normal year."

Cancel the mosquitalypse. For now.