Reduce the risk – Tips for outdoor activities

In shaded, wooded areas, mosquitoes are active all day long – not just during the early morning and at dusk. However, protecting yourself from West Nile virus should not keep you from enjoying outdoor living this summer.

Other ways to avoid mosquito bite

  • Wear light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts, pants and a hat.
  • Use mosquito netting or screened enclosures to let your family enjoy protected outdoor living in periods of high mosquito activity.

Tips for your cottage or cabin

  • Look for any place where water can collect, and eliminate standing water where mosquitoes can lay their eggs. Mosquitoes will hatch in rainwater collecting in old tires and other unused items.
  • Cover rain barrels with screens.
  • Clean out eavestroughs regularly to prevent clogs that can trap water.
  • Ensure that window, door and tent screens do not have holes or openings that mosquitoes can pass through.

What to do if you find a fresh, dead bird (crows, magpies, ravens, blue jays and grey jays)

  • If you find a dead bird you can leave it alone, bury it, or in urban areas, you can wrap the bird in plastic and put it out with the garbage.
  • When dealing with any found dead wildlife, always wear leakproof rubber gloves or use two layers of a leakproof plastic bag inverted over your hand or a stick or shovel to move the bird into a plastic bag or container. Handle the carcas so that the beak and claws do not puncture the bag or gloves. Do not handle dead wildlife directly with your bare hands. After packaging the bird, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 30 seconds.
  • As in previous years, outbreak situations involving clusters of dead birds found in a small area and over a short time frame should be reported to a Fish and Wildlife office. While not likely to be West Nile virus, the cause of the mortality may be some other disease occurrence that should be investigated.

Find the Fish and Wildlife office closest to you. For more information visit Sustainable Resource Development's website.