Izmir Metropolitan Municipality continues its fight against mosquitoes throughout the year. Against the increasing mosquito population due to the impact of the climate crisis, disinfection work is carried out with 30 teams consisting of 300 personnel at 380 thousand points in 27 districts, using today's technologies.
Izmir Metropolitan Municipality continues its fight against pests, especially mosquitoes, uninterruptedly. Fighting intensively against the increasing mosquito population due to the global climate crisis and changing precipitation regime, the teams spray pesticides at 30 thousand points in 12 districts, 300 months a year. The studies are carried out by 380 personnel, including biologists, chemists, food engineers and agricultural engineers. In addition to cockroaches, houseflies, mice and fleas, extra precautions are being taken against the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), originating from Southeast Asia, which is a particularly invasive species and has adapted to living conditions in cities.
Climate crisis affected the fly population
Agricultural Engineer Sedat Özdemir, team leader at the Vector Control Unit of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Environmental Protection and Control Branch Directorate, stated that the annual average temperature of Izmir is 15 degrees Celsius, and with the effect of this, such creatures continue their development every month of the year. Explaining that climate change affects the adaptation of many living things, Sedat Özdemir said, “With the effect of climate change, it is possible to see many different species. Moreover, even creatures that should not be present during the winter months can survive. "Because changing rainfall regimes and changing temperatures allow such creatures to find habitats," he said.
Our citizens should also take precautions
Özdemir stated that they frequently carry out disinfection work, especially in areas such as stagnant waters, manholes, septic tanks and rain grates, and said:
“We continue our work uninterruptedly, but it is also necessary for citizens to take precautions here. Apart from the areas where we work, there may be areas where living things can reproduce. For example, puddles in gardens, water left in pots or buckets in front of doors are areas where larvae can breed. Water should either not be left in these places or this water should be changed frequently. "We can achieve more successful results if our citizens take individual precautions in such areas that we cannot see."
Medicines that do not harm the environment and human health are used
Reminding that the drugs used do not harm the environment and human health, Sedat Özdemir said, “We work with our amphibious vehicle in areas we cannot physically reach. We use biological larvicides that will not threaten public health or harm other living things. We also try to reduce the housefly population with housefly traps. We are fighting against creatures that transmit diseases to humans. Medicines only affect these types of creatures. "We do not harm other living species," he said.