Castalla implements a surveillance and larval control program for common and tiger mosquitoes

• The plan of the Department of Environment will be developed in four months, between May and September, for an amount of 7,257.58 euros

The Department of the Environment of the Castalla Town Council is carrying out a programme of surveillance and larval control of common mosquitoes and tiger mosquitoes in the municipality through the company Ambiqai Sanidad Ambiental S.L. for a total of 7,257.58 euros. The treatment will last for four months, from May 15, when the contractor began the work, to September 15, when the program is scheduled to end. The Councillor for the Environment, Asun Vera, recalls that “in 2019 the work began in August and the objective of the campaign was met, as we did not detect the presence of tiger mosquitoes. This year we have been ahead of schedule due to the high rainfall and high temperatures”.

The insect control program is divided into three types of actions. On the one hand, the biweekly larvicidal treatment of scuppers. On the other hand, the biweekly review of attractant traps. The project is completed with a biweekly larvicidal treatment in case the presence of larvae is detected in the traps placed as controls. In this sense, Vera details that “five control points have been installed for the installation of oviposition and larval control traps along the course of the River Verde, where the environment is more conducive to the appearance of all types of mosquitoes”.

Employees of the company in charge of the mosquito surveillance and control program recommend that special attention be paid to areas with neglected vegetation and weeds, and to surface water accumulations such as rivers, ponds, septic tanks, or ornamental fountains, where mosquitoes are likely to be most present. For all these reasons, the municipal cleaning services will act in cleaning wadis and cleaning up wetlands as a complement to the actions of the environmental health company.

With the monitoring reports submitted to date, the company estimates that the average population of the mosquito species analysed is within the average and does not require urgent action, although this may evolve as the results of the next fortnightly controls become known.

In addition, to adequately control the population of these insects, the actions of Castalla’s neighbours are also very important. In accordance with this, the mayor of the Environment asks for “citizen collaboration within private spaces, we must all avoid the accumulation of water in pots, buckets or other containers that are conducive to the emergence of mosquitoes. Educating ourselves in this sense is fundamental”.