Mozzies in Cumbalum - the not so popular residents

Who does not enjoy the beautiful outdoors that Cumbalum has to offer? But there’s nothing worse than enjoying the outdoors at the end of a long day, appreciating the beauty of the setting sun, when suddenly that annoying buzzing sound starts in your ear… Next thing you know, you have been driven inside with lots of itchy bites to show for it!

Unfortunately mosquitoes also call Cumbalum home and from November until April, they can be a nuisance. Not only can they cause itching, mozzies can also carry blood-born diseases that can impact our health. They are also the insects responsible for the spread of heartworm disease in dogs. Luckily there are a few things that can be done to ward off mosquitoes so we can enjoy being outdoors.

Mozzies love dark, humid places. Think: tall grass, under leaves and in hollow trees. They also love stagnant water. It’s where they lay their eggs and also where juveniles live until they mature.

A female mosquito can lay as many as 100 eggs in a space as small as a bottle cap and more than 700 eggs in a lifetime (which is just a few months). That equates to a lot of bites!

If a yard is cleared of mosquito habitat, adult mosquitoes are much less likely to call it home. And if water around the yard is moving or replaced regularly, the eggs and larvae won’t survive long enough to hatch and mature. Some simple things can be done around the home to stop the mosquito life-cycle process:

• Clear your yard of debris (leaves, fallen branches, overgrown vegetation and tall grass).

• Dethatch your lawn if required.

• Check for stagnant water (pot saucers, wheelbarrows) and empty every 2-3 days.

• Change outdoor pet water bowls frequently.

• Change water in bird baths 2-3 times per week.

• Ensure that pumps on outdoor ponds are run daily so that water is circulated regularly.

• Replace water collected in bromeliads every week by spraying thoroughly with the hose.

Another approach is to plant mosquito-repelling plants around the yard, especially close to outdoor living areas. Plants like lemon balm, lavender, citronella, basil, marigold and catnip are well-known for their mozzie-repelling properties.

Some residents in Cumbalum also organize collective pest spraying. Several pest companies in the area offer reduced rates when multiple households get together to have outdoor mosquito spraying done at the same time. Mosquitoes don’t actually travel very far, so yard spraying can be very effective in controlling numbers. It’s even more effective when multiple properties in an area have spraying done simultaneously.

On many occasions the Cumbalum Residents Association has received requests by residents to ask Ballina Council to spray for mosquitoes in various parks and outdoor areas of the estate. This request has been met with reluctance by the BSC due to the polarized view of spraying within the community. Spraying is known to be effective in reducing mosquito populations, but using commercial insecticides is not selective and does also impact other living organisms in the area.

Hopefully by using the above tips of maintaining your yard and eliminating areas of stagnant water, we can all work together to enjoy the outdoors a little more comfortably during the summer months.