Inspection & Access Brushing
Adult mosquito populations bring attention to an area and the ultimate goal is to determine the larval habitat of those mosquitoes. This triggers a search for standing water that is at times not easy to find, especially in the height of the summer when foliage is at its height and views are obscured by vegetation. Noting these areas in question and revisiting them after leaves have dropped in the fall is an essential winter time function.
Below are a couple of sets of photographs that show what a site looks like during the summer vs. winter when the standing water is now clearly evident. Once the mosquito habitats are found, appropriate control strategies are planned and then implemented during the active mosquito breeding season.
Summer (dot marks indicator tree stump)
Winter (dot indicates same indicator tree)
Summer (dot indicates tree for reference)
Winter (dot indicates same tree for comparison)
Access brushing is a necessary function and is more easily done in the months when leaves are also not on trees and shrubs. Sites where access was prevented or hindered during the active mosquito breeding season are noted. These sites are revisited later to cut back vegetation to allow free access for inspection and control activities.
Hand clearing an access path.
Sites such as this need clearing to allow open access for control work during the active season.