The late onset of seasonal warm weather has resulted in a significant increase in midges in some areas of the municipality.
This is particularly evident around wetlands and other water holding areas which would ordinarily have dried out quite naturally by this time of year.
It is expected that elevated numbers of midges will persist for a few more weeks until these areas dry out.
Midges belong to the insect family Chironomidae and are small non-biting insects that live and breed naturally in wetland areas and lakes.
They lay eggs in sandy, muddy and vegetated areas where the soil is damp and/or covered in moist decaying leaf matter.
While midges create a nuisance to those living and recreating in areas adjacent to breeding locations, unlike mosquitoes, they are not vectors of disease.
As midges do not pose a risk to public health, the City of Busselton doesn’t target them in a specific aerial chemical treatment.
City of Busselton environmental health coordinator Dimity Hargrave said it was essential any use of chemicals in the environment was targeted as it was the only way to ensure the ongoing effectiveness of treatment programs.
“The City limits the use of chemicals in the environment to an appropriate level targeting local insect populations which pose a risk to health,” Mr Hargrave said.
Midges are attracted to lights and will seek shelter in vegetated areas.
They can disperse a few hundred meters from their breeding site and may travel up to a kilometre in windy weather.
Residents can take the following measures to reduce the number of midges in and around their homes - reduce the amount of lighting around the house, particularly around doorways and windows, use yellow, low wattage globes (25 or 30 Watt) around the home, fit fine mesh screens to doors and windows, seal gaps around doors, windows and skylights and plant local native plants in your garden which aid to screen lighting from your property.
Residents may consider using residual surface sprays applied to the outside of buildings.
These products knock-down resting adult midges and generally last up to 6 weeks.
They may, however, also target other insects and spiders.
These products are available at hardware stores or can be applied by licenced pest control operators.
Further information can be obtained by contacting the City of Busselton Environmental Health Service on 9781 0444.