Living next to the wetlands
What's left of a huge swamp
Frankston says Edithvale and Seaford Wetlands are remnants of the Carrum Carrum Swamp, drained in the late 1880s. They were declared a Ramsar site (a wetland of international importance) in 2001, and they still filter water from Boggy Creek, Eel Race Creek and stormwater before it reaches the bay.
The mosquito program
Melbourne Water runs the monitoring with Council. Frankston says the Seaford wetland is routinely surveyed from August to April, which it calls summer. When larvae numbers are excessive, briquettes that disrupt larvae and pupae go into the water. Questions about it go to Melbourne Water.
Longer season near the coast
Victoria's Department of Health says coastal areas usually start their mosquito season earlier and finish later than inland ones. In Seaford, it's worth starting your yard routine early.
What a yard treatment can and can't do
Nothing you do at home will change the wetland, and nobody should try. What you can change is what's breeding within your own fence line, because mosquitoes need very little water. A pest business can look at your yard and treat around it, and it's fair to ask what results to expect and for how long.
You may have heard about Buruli ulcer. Better Health Channel lists the Frankston and Langwarrin region among places it's being identified, and says there's increasing evidence mosquitoes and possums play a role, while Frankston's page says it isn't yet known. Take any concern to your GP. No pest treatment prevents it.
Your part, and the pest business's
You can
- Tip out pot bases, bird baths and toys that hold water.
- Keep window and door screens in good repair.
- Clear leaves from gutters so they drain.
- Cover up at dusk, when you're near the water.
Leave to a pest business
- Any treatment around the yard. Ask for the product's full name.
- European wasp nests. Frankston's officers don't remove them on private property.
Where we'd start with pests in Seaford
We'd sort the standing water first, because it's the part you control. If you're still being bitten at home, or you've found a nest, tell us what you've seen and your postcode. A honey bee nest is one for a local beekeeper instead.
Want someone to look at it?
Tell us what you've seen and your postcode, and a local pest business that handles exactly that calls you to talk it through.
