Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
But look, if you've been out and about a lot
over recent days, like I have been, you will certainly
notice that those mausies are back around the place. And
we'll joining us on the line to tell us a
little bit more. Is into Health's Medical Entomology Operations Manager
Stephen Fricka. Good morning, Steven.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Hey, good morning. Can here you go?
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Yeah? Really good, lovely to catch up with you now.
We caught up a few weeks slender, and it does
look like we're experiencing another peak at the moment.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Yeah, I don't really think you need the calendar to
work that one out, unfortunately. Yeah. Yeah, I think I
said last time, A lot of the mosquitoes at this
time of year driven by tides. So we had a
high tide a few weeks ago, a little weekend before last,
and that sort of triggered these things to come out again.
(00:50):
So it's been a bit of a I don't know,
there's been quite a few around. We do best efforts
to control them, but I think I said last time.
You know, we've got such a wide network of of
wetlands around the town that some of them do tend
to fly in. So yeah, it is that sort of
peak period at the moment, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
So how long are we expecting this peak period to last.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
It should drop off in the next week. We did
get a bit of follow up rain after the high tide,
and we went out and had to look at that
as well, and we did notice that there is a
bit of a turn. I think from now on we'll
start to get a bit of a change in the
actual type of species I reckon. I mentioned last time
(01:35):
that we do have quite a few species up here,
and during the sort of build up to the wet season,
we have these mosquitoes that are brought about by the tides,
the high tides, and that the water comes in and
fuds these areas where the eggs are and they hatch
and they come out and they bought they bite us.
But going forward, we're going to get We're going to
start to see a bit of a change in what
(01:56):
species are around, which also does changes the risk profile
as well. So people, you know, they do need to
be aware that the mosquitoes will come out following rain now,
so they can't really rely so much on the coland
to indicate when these big mosquito numbers are going to
come out. But they do need to be careful going forward,
because this is sort of the big period for feroster
(02:18):
of a virus which we don't want people to get
because it can be a bit of a nasty thing. So,
you know, I suppose we should be reminding people that
as the mosquitoes drop off, they may come up at
any time due to rain, and they should if they're
going out doing their fishing or walking and enjoying our
lovely parks and nature reserves, or going to watch their
(02:39):
kids play soccer at a particular spot where they do,
knowing their own mosquitoes, they should really make sure they
wear some long list feeding clothing, you know, and don't
get bitten walking on this blood.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Exactly. We've been like absolutely smothering ourselves, you know, in
massie repellents, and I know that a lot of people
have been doing the same at this point. I mean,
it does seem as though we've got quite a large number,
and you've pointed to the reasons why when so are
we expecting you know, are we expecting the numbers to subside?
I mean it sort of sounds like it's based on
(03:13):
a number of factors.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, well it is, And you know, I mean, I
don't want to say that they're going to subside tomorrow
and then and then we get a big rainfall, and
that causes over the next few weeks we should see
them decline over the next week. The sort of peak
period or not, I shouldn't say peak period, but there is.
The periods of high abundance are for the tidal mosquito
(03:37):
I used to call it anything anything that people understand.
We'll start to drop off in the next three to
five days, I suppose, and then you know from from
the actual tide. We did have that rainfall a few
days later, so it might push that that period of
higher abundance over an extra couple of days. However, while
(04:02):
we were out, we did notice that a lot of
those salt marsh mosquitos there had been flooded for a
longer period, which means that there probably won't be as
much of a boost in numbers if that rainfall occurred,
say today, which is quite fortunate, which means that that
area it's got topped up, which means that we didn't
really get that extended boost of higher numbers. But I
(04:23):
would expect that they would drop off, and depending what
happens over the next next couple of weeks. We do
have another high tide coming in just before Christmas, on
about or the sixteenth. I think it is around that
sixteenth seventeenth eighteenth, which I hope, I hope that we
get it all the rain before then, because that'll push
(04:43):
out the peak to ride on Christmas, which will be
a bit unfortunate for people this year. I would think it's.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Not really what we want. Is it your Christmas lunch
and you're you know, you're swatting the mausies, you.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Know what I mean, too many other visitors for Christmas.
I mean, you know, it's nice to have a lot
of visitors at Christmas, but those little fellows, we want
to keep them out.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Yeah, they're pesky little buggers. You don't really Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
And I suppose the other thing is as well. We've
had a fair bit of rain, so particularly in the suburbs,
so people it's probably a good good time for people
to go around and you know, maybe just doub look
around the garden and tip out some of those containers
that are around there. Because I don't want to blame
everything on the on the swamps and the salt marsh.
Because with all that rain, we'll start to see a
few of the domestic mosquitoes coming out as well, So
(05:33):
just be I think people should be aware. They're aware
of the fact that when we get these big rain falls,
if we've got some containers in the yards or or
things that they do hold water, we can get these
little container breaders that do occur in the suburbs and
they'll come out probably about now as well. And you
know they they carry things like dog heartworms, so people yeah, yeah, yeah,
(05:58):
MUMU tip those out as well, and that'll make those
mosquitoes are a bit pesky, they do. They're a bit
I actually don't like them, yeah, more than the salt
marsh mosquitoes, because they come out around dusk and they
bite you on the ankles. And when you're out water
in your garden and you're getting bitten on the ankles
and the wrist, that's them. So hellmoker in your garden.
(06:18):
Maybe about some containers as well.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
So you definitely don't want them popping around for Christmas either.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Steven, Oh, I know they're really annoying. No, no, because
you'll be sitting at the table and you'll be bitten
on the ankles and terrible, terrible.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Well, Stephen, always good to catch up with you. I
really appreciate your time. Just remind us so people can
still jump online, they can go and check that Mossie
calendar as well to sort of keep up to date
with the peak times as well.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
That's right, yeah, yeah, and it's also good for salt
marshes sorry, the midges as well. We have a conor
off of midges as well. So yeah, it's always good
to not play anything on those particular times that it's
going to be out doors or at least have an
indoor option. And I think people also got to remember
that we're getting that change in species coming up over
(07:08):
the next month or so, so now there is a
bit of a higher risk of things like a rosser
a virus which although it's not you know, it doesn't know,
it's not fatal, but it can be actually quite debilitating
and perfect people for a period of time, which is
not a great thing to go into Christmas with.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
No absolutely so do make sure that you protect yourselves
absolutely well. Stephen Fricker, a medical entomology operations manager, really
good to speak with you this morning. I appreciate your
time as always.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Thanks for having a chat, Katie. I appreciate your interest.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Thank you. Thanks mate. We'll talk again so
But look, if you've been out and about a lot
over recent days, like I have been, you will certainly
notice that those mausies are back around the place. And
we'll joining us on the line to tell us a
little bit more. Is into Health's Medical Entomology Operations Manager
Stephen Fricka. Good morning, Steven.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Hey, good morning. Can here you go?
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Yeah? Really good, lovely to catch up with you now.
We caught up a few weeks slender, and it does
look like we're experiencing another peak at the moment.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Yeah, I don't really think you need the calendar to
work that one out, unfortunately. Yeah. Yeah, I think I
said last time, A lot of the mosquitoes at this
time of year driven by tides. So we had a
high tide a few weeks ago, a little weekend before last,
and that sort of triggered these things to come out again.
(00:50):
So it's been a bit of a I don't know,
there's been quite a few around. We do best efforts
to control them, but I think I said last time.
You know, we've got such a wide network of of
wetlands around the town that some of them do tend
to fly in. So yeah, it is that sort of
peak period at the moment, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
So how long are we expecting this peak period to last.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
It should drop off in the next week. We did
get a bit of follow up rain after the high tide,
and we went out and had to look at that
as well, and we did notice that there is a
bit of a turn. I think from now on we'll
start to get a bit of a change in the
actual type of species I reckon. I mentioned last time
(01:35):
that we do have quite a few species up here,
and during the sort of build up to the wet season,
we have these mosquitoes that are brought about by the tides,
the high tides, and that the water comes in and
fuds these areas where the eggs are and they hatch
and they come out and they bought they bite us.
But going forward, we're going to get We're going to
start to see a bit of a change in what
(01:56):
species are around, which also does changes the risk profile
as well. So people, you know, they do need to
be aware that the mosquitoes will come out following rain now,
so they can't really rely so much on the coland
to indicate when these big mosquito numbers are going to
come out. But they do need to be careful going forward,
because this is sort of the big period for feroster
(02:18):
of a virus which we don't want people to get
because it can be a bit of a nasty thing. So,
you know, I suppose we should be reminding people that
as the mosquitoes drop off, they may come up at
any time due to rain, and they should if they're
going out doing their fishing or walking and enjoying our
lovely parks and nature reserves, or going to watch their
(02:39):
kids play soccer at a particular spot where they do,
knowing their own mosquitoes, they should really make sure they
wear some long list feeding clothing, you know, and don't
get bitten walking on this blood.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Exactly. We've been like absolutely smothering ourselves, you know, in
massie repellents, and I know that a lot of people
have been doing the same at this point. I mean,
it does seem as though we've got quite a large number,
and you've pointed to the reasons why when so are
we expecting you know, are we expecting the numbers to subside?
I mean it sort of sounds like it's based on
(03:13):
a number of factors.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, well it is, And you know, I mean, I
don't want to say that they're going to subside tomorrow
and then and then we get a big rainfall, and
that causes over the next few weeks we should see
them decline over the next week. The sort of peak
period or not, I shouldn't say peak period, but there is.
The periods of high abundance are for the tidal mosquito
(03:37):
I used to call it anything anything that people understand.
We'll start to drop off in the next three to
five days, I suppose, and then you know from from
the actual tide. We did have that rainfall a few
days later, so it might push that that period of
higher abundance over an extra couple of days. However, while
(04:02):
we were out, we did notice that a lot of
those salt marsh mosquitos there had been flooded for a
longer period, which means that there probably won't be as
much of a boost in numbers if that rainfall occurred,
say today, which is quite fortunate, which means that that
area it's got topped up, which means that we didn't
really get that extended boost of higher numbers. But I
(04:23):
would expect that they would drop off, and depending what
happens over the next next couple of weeks. We do
have another high tide coming in just before Christmas, on
about or the sixteenth. I think it is around that
sixteenth seventeenth eighteenth, which I hope, I hope that we
get it all the rain before then, because that'll push
(04:43):
out the peak to ride on Christmas, which will be
a bit unfortunate for people this year. I would think it's.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Not really what we want. Is it your Christmas lunch
and you're you know, you're swatting the mausies, you.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Know what I mean, too many other visitors for Christmas.
I mean, you know, it's nice to have a lot
of visitors at Christmas, but those little fellows, we want
to keep them out.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Yeah, they're pesky little buggers. You don't really Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
And I suppose the other thing is as well. We've
had a fair bit of rain, so particularly in the suburbs,
so people it's probably a good good time for people
to go around and you know, maybe just doub look
around the garden and tip out some of those containers
that are around there. Because I don't want to blame
everything on the on the swamps and the salt marsh.
Because with all that rain, we'll start to see a
few of the domestic mosquitoes coming out as well, So
(05:33):
just be I think people should be aware. They're aware
of the fact that when we get these big rain falls,
if we've got some containers in the yards or or
things that they do hold water, we can get these
little container breaders that do occur in the suburbs and
they'll come out probably about now as well. And you
know they they carry things like dog heartworms, so people yeah, yeah, yeah,
(05:58):
MUMU tip those out as well, and that'll make those
mosquitoes are a bit pesky, they do. They're a bit
I actually don't like them, yeah, more than the salt
marsh mosquitoes, because they come out around dusk and they
bite you on the ankles. And when you're out water
in your garden and you're getting bitten on the ankles
and the wrist, that's them. So hellmoker in your garden.
(06:18):
Maybe about some containers as well.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
So you definitely don't want them popping around for Christmas either.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Steven, Oh, I know they're really annoying. No, no, because
you'll be sitting at the table and you'll be bitten
on the ankles and terrible, terrible.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Well, Stephen, always good to catch up with you. I
really appreciate your time. Just remind us so people can
still jump online, they can go and check that Mossie
calendar as well to sort of keep up to date
with the peak times as well.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
That's right, yeah, yeah, and it's also good for salt
marshes sorry, the midges as well. We have a conor
off of midges as well. So yeah, it's always good
to not play anything on those particular times that it's
going to be out doors or at least have an
indoor option. And I think people also got to remember
that we're getting that change in species coming up over
(07:08):
the next month or so, so now there is a
bit of a higher risk of things like a rosser
a virus which although it's not you know, it doesn't know,
it's not fatal, but it can be actually quite debilitating
and perfect people for a period of time, which is
not a great thing to go into Christmas with.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
No absolutely so do make sure that you protect yourselves
absolutely well. Stephen Fricker, a medical entomology operations manager, really
good to speak with you this morning. I appreciate your
time as always.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Thanks for having a chat, Katie. I appreciate your interest.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Thank you. Thanks mate. We'll talk again so
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