Michelle Daw, Yorke Peninsula Country Times

Barunga West Council has intensified pest control efforts after frustrated Fisherman Bay and Port Broughton residents reported this summer’s insect problem as the worst they have ever experienced.

Interim BWC chief executive Paul Simpson announced enhanced control measures after a visit from SA Health officials on February 5.

Mr Simpson said, instead of a fixed fortnightly schedule to treat mosquito larvae, council would now apply treatments three days after every high tide and after significant rainfall.

“Additional mosquito trapping stations will be introduced to monitor mosquito populations and identify breeding hotspots, allowing for a more targeted response,” he said.

SA Health has also supplied the council with a purpose-built blower to distribute granulated insecticide, replacing the previous manual application method.

“This new equipment ensures better and more consistent treatment coverage, improving mosquito larvae kill rates,” Mr Simpson said.

“Council staff conduct regular mosquito monitoring and treatment from September through to April each year, and this season has been particularly challenging,” Mr Simpson said.

“While eradication is not possible, reducing mosquito numbers remains a priority.

“We can only control mosquitoes at the larvae stage, which is why targeted treatments and monitoring are so important.

Beyond that stage, the focus shifts to community awareness — covering up, using repellents and removing stagnant water are all crucial to reducing mosquito risks.”

A BWC spokesperson said council submitted a monthly report to SA Health detailing mosquito control activities, including baiting frequency, dosage levels and complaints received.

“These reports contain private information regarding staff and residents, so we are unable to share them publicly,” he said.

However, the spokesperson confirmed that council had received four formal complaints about mosquitos between September and December and an additional seven complaints since January 1.

Fisherman Bay Progress Association committee member Robyn Lyons welcomed the news that council’s mosquito control program had been upgraded.

Ms Lyons, who is allergic to mosquito bites, said she had written to council in early January, asking it to urgently consider pest control for the mosquito problem in Fisherman Bay.

She has had to stock up on mosquito zappers, traps, insecticides and citronella candles, and uses antihistamines and cortisone cream to reduce the swelling and itches from mosquito bites.

“I can’t even go out to the washing line, because I would be covered in welts,” she said.

“We know people are staying inside simply because of the mosquitos.

“We have only been (living full-time) up here for 18 months.

“We didn’t move up here to spend summer in our house.”

Ms Lyons and FBPA secretary Julie Elliott said many Fisherman Bay and Port Broughton residents had commented on the severity of the mosquito problem this summer and were already taking commonsense measures to protect themselves.

“Because of the mangroves here, you have to expect mozzies because we have the fish here and the mosquitoes are the larvae that they feed on,” Ms Elliott said.

“I have been coming up here since I was 15 and I have not noticed the mozzies to be this bad before.”

Narungga MP Fraser Ellis said he attended the FBPA annual general meeting in January when concerns were raised that the usual mosquito treatment by council was not working as well as in previous years.

Mr Ellis spoke about the mosquito problem in State Parliament on February 5 and has also sought advice from Health Minister Chris Picton on options for mosquito control.

“I also questioned if treatment reports from previous years are publicly available and have raised the topic of subsidised assistance, given it is apparent this is a season extremely conducive to prolific mosquito breeding,” he said.

Mozzie battle could take to the sky

Fisherman Bay Progress Association is considering hiring a spray contractor to apply pesticides with drones to combat the area’s mosquito problem.

Committee member Anthony Lines was appointed to investigate potential control measures at the FBPA annual general meeting on January 5.

He said, if the FBPA decided to go ahead with the plan, he would approach Barunga West Council and any other relevant authorities for permission.

Mr Lines said there were several pesticides that would not impact the natural environment or human health, if they were sprayed in the correct conditions and could dry on contact with the surface.

“The chemicals would be sprayed over unoccupied low-lying areas, such as the mangroves between Fisherman Bay and Port Broughton, when the tide is out,” he said.

Mr Lines said FBPA had decided to investigate aerial spraying because members were disappointed with the lack of action by BWC to combat the mosquitos.

“They have been building up over the past two years,” he said.

“They were five times as bad this year.

“Most of the kids (his grandchildren) were getting slammed on the beach.”

This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 11 February 2025.