Even in a forgotten glass of water, a mosquito can still breed

Edremit Municipality of Balıkesir continues its fight against flies and pests. The spraying unit affiliated with the Parks and Gardens Directorate has intensified its efforts effectively against the increasing problem of flies and pests with the rise in temperatures. Edremit Municipality’s Responsible Director of Spraying, Veterinary Surgeon Berna Arıkan, stated, ‘Even if you leave a glass of water on your balcony, flies start laying eggs there within two days and larvae begin to emerge.’ Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality and Edremit Municipality, acting in coordination, have enhanced the effectiveness of their spraying activities. Municipality officials expressed that through the cooperation of the two municipalities, the work is carried out more quickly and efficiently.
Spraying activities carried out using vehicle-mounted equipment are ongoing in the city’s 47 neighborhoods. The teams work tirelessly day and night against mosquitoes, aiming to minimize the fly and pest problem threatening public health. Municipality officials stated that spraying activities will be repeated at regular intervals and meticulously implemented in all neighborhoods. Special attention is given to the breeding areas of mosquitoes. Intensive larval combat is also conducted in the breeding areas of midges. These efforts, aimed at breaking the breeding cycle of flies, seek to prevent their proliferation throughout the city. Teams regularly inspect and carry out necessary spraying in stagnant water, marshy areas, and other potential breeding grounds.
Edremit Municipality’s Responsible Director of Spraying, Veterinary Surgeon Berna Arıkan, emphasized that even a forgotten glass of water in an open area is sufficient for mosquitoes to breed, stating, ‘For example, the Pina Stream where we are currently located is a region that produces larvae. We spray those areas. Even if you leave a glass of water on your balcony, flies start laying eggs there within two days and larvae begin to emerge. There is a bucket filled with rain in the garden that we forgot. Or water has accumulated in flower pots. Or there is a tire somewhere filled with water. Or you see empty unused boats in Kızılkeçili and Zeytinli streams. All of them are filled with water, which means mosquitoes are constantly breeding there. There are ornamental pools in gardens. We will definitely clean those pools. Or we have tablets distributed to our neighborhood headmen. Citizens can take tablets and throw them into those pools every 15 days. Also, we still have some septic areas. My request is for them to please contact the headmen. We, as the municipality, have left larvicide tablets at all neighborhood headmen offices, municipal service buildings, and municipal police points. They can go and get larvicide tablets for free, throw them into their toilets, and flush the toilet. Thus, they will have disinfected their septic tanks.’
Providing information about the seasonal work of the municipality, Berna Arıkan said, ‘We continue our larval combat during all spraying activities conducted, except at night, with all kinds of vehicles and equipment you see during the daytime, including the summer period related to temperatures. We started our night spraying with approximately 8 vehicles due to the increased temperatures.’ Edremit Municipality urges the public to be sensitive in the fight against flies and pests. Citizens are requested to be careful not to create stagnant water in and around their homes and to contact the municipality when necessary. Municipality officials stated that the sensitivity shown by the citizens in this regard will make a significant contribution to the fight.
Edremit Municipality, aiming to minimize the discomfort caused by flies and pests, stated that they are relentlessly continuing their efforts to protect public health and improve the quality of life, mobilizing all their resources. They announced that they will continue their work effectively throughout the summer and will work diligently to keep the fly and pest problem under control in the city, ensuring the well-being of the residents.