City announces commencement of T.E.A.A.M. Program
(Targeted Environmental Action Against Mosquitoes)

WINNIPEG - June 7, 2007- Today, the City of Winnipeg Insect Control Branch announced the commencement of the T.E.A.A.M. Program (Targeted Environmental Action Against Mosquitoes), a community-based public education initiative jointly funded by the City of Winnipeg and the Province of Manitoba.

The project is intended to promote public awareness of:

• reducing larval development sites on public/private property; and
• taking preventative measures, including personal protection, to minimize exposure to mosquitoes and the risk of being infected with West Nile virus.

T.E.A.A.M. staff will visit neighbourhoods where on-going surveillance data suggests that mosquito populations may pose the greatest problem. Staff will offer information aimed at reducing potential sources of mosquito larval development. With the consent of the homeowner/occupant, the T.E.A.A.M. member will conduct a yard audit and provide helpful tips to reduce larval development, if found. Copies of the yard audit checklist are also available online at Winnipeg.ca/bugline/TEAAM.

Starting this week four T.E.A.A.M. staff are working from 11 a.m.to 7:30 p.m, Monday-Friday. The T.E.A.A.M. project will conclude in late August. T.E.A.A.M. staff will be identifiable by the T.E.A.A.M. logo on their uniforms. They will also have a City of Winnipeg identification badge.

Any resident interested in having a T.E.A.A.M. member visit their yard or receive information can call the Bugline at 311, to make an appointment. Each year since 2003, field staff have conducted yard audits and distributed West Nile virus educational packages door to door. To date, over 40,000 homes throughout Winnipeg have been visited.

Cankerworms – The cankerworm treatment program will be concluding tomorrow night, June 8, 2007. Any further treatment would not be effective as the biological product must be ingested by the cankerworms. Cankerworms will still be noticeable as they will be hanging from their silken threads for approximately another week as they prepare for their next part of the life cycle.

Mosquitoes – The City has received a significant amount of rain over the past several weeks. This has created optimal conditions for an emergence of adult mosquitoes. Surveillance data indicates mosquito larvae have now moved to the third instar (stage), and these are expected to emerge as adult mosquitoes in the next five to seven days.

As a result of the improved weather over the past week, we have been able to larvicide over 11,000 hectares of standing water utilizing 150 staff working 7 days a week.

Given the AFA of medium, the Branch will also be utilizing biological residual treatments as part of an integrated nuisance mosquito approach when the adults emerge. Residual treatments will be applied onto localized areas of long grass and borders of bushes to kill adult mosquitoes in their resting areas.

It is important that everyone continue to pitch in and help eliminate standing water on their property. Property owners are encouraged to help “Fight the Bite” by taking any one of the following steps to eliminate standing water on their properties:

Dump It! – containers
Drain It! – eavestroughing or unused containers
Cover It! – rain water collection containers
Fill It! – low-lying areas
Treat It! – biological larvicides can also be purchased at local home and garden centres.

Interested individuals may acquire more information by contacting the City’s Bugline at 311, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or by visiting the City’s Insect Control website at Winnipeg.ca/bugline.