They really do suck! With the weather warming up, we’re reminding people to protect themselves from mozzie bites and reduce the risk around your home.

Mozzies are typical of an Australian summer, but these pesky insects can be more than just a nuisance.

We have been working the NSW Health since 2019 to trap mosquitoes in high-risk locations and detect viruses of public health concern.

In the summer of 2021/22, we trapped an average of 7500 mosquitoes and found five carrying Ross River virus, also known as Ross River fever, or Barmah Forest virus. These virus-carrying mosquitoes were found at Narrabeen Lagoon (Deep Creek) and Warriewood Wetlands. 

Our trapping program will run from 1 November to 30 April 2023 at both locations and if any mosquitoes are found to be carrying viruses, a public health alert will be issued.

What you can do to reduce the risk of bites:

Start by wearing long, loose-fitting clothing to minimise skin exposure. Choose and apply a repellent containing either Diethyl Toluamide (DEET), Picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), and be extra careful at dawn, dusk and in the evening.

There are also lots of things you can do at home including:

•       Keep your lawns moved
•       Remove all water-holding items like containers and kids’ toys
•       Flush out birdbaths and water-holding plants like bromeliads once a week
•       Fill pot plant bases with sand to avoid standing water.

For more information on how to avoid mozzie bites, visit NSW Health.

The 2021/22 mosquito monitoring program had approximately 30 participating coastal and inland Council’s participating in the surveillance program.

You can read the weekly surveillance reports for more in-depth information on locations and notifications and what Council is doing to plan for and protect the community from mosquito-borne disease.