Health inspection teams fanned out across Bonnevoie on Wednesday to tell residents that Asian tiger mosquitoes had been identified in their neighbourhood, and to walk them through the steps needed to keep the insect from gaining ground.
Most residents were not surprised when they heard why the health inspectors were on their doorstep. Tiger mosquitoes are nothing new in Bonnevoie.
The service has run this kind of awareness campaign before, most recently around two years ago. The core message to residents has stayed the same: leave no standing water anywhere around the home.
That covers more than just large rain barrels. Small flowerpots sitting on a saucer, or toys left out in the garden, can catch enough water to be important. Wherever possible, residents should clear away anything that might collect rainwater.
A few millilitres are all the tiger mosquito needs to breed. The insect is not able to fly very well, which is why it tends to spread through its immediate surroundings rather than travelling any real distance.
