Mosquito control at Wuskowhan:

   For all of you who have played golf at Wuskowhan recently, it has become quite noticeable that mosquitoes have become a nuisance, not only at Wuskowhan but in the entire region.  Due to the frequent and heavy rains we experienced in April and early May the egg hatch was rather substantial. This leads to a significant population of mosquitoes that are very bothersome. I would like to give you a brief summary of what causes such an outbreak of mosquitoes and the steps we are taking in our attempt to alleviate the problem. The information that is cited was obtained from an article written by an entomologist from Michigan State University.

   Overall, there are about 60 varieties of mosquitoes in Michigan. There are two major classes of mosquitoes that affect our area, the spring flood-water mosquitoes and the summer flood-water mosquitoes. They have a developmental cycle that goes from the egg to the adult stage where the eggs hatch and develop in the water. Unfortunately, due to the large areas of wetlands that are a part of Wuskowhan, we have a lot of wet areas. Interestingly enough, only the female mosquitoes bite. Not only do they bite people, but also animals including birds, mammals, frogs and snakes. Male mosquitoes feed on nectar and do not bite for blood. 

   Aerial predators are often cited in the popular press as a means for controlling mosquitoes by predation. However, scientific studies do not support the contentions that bats, swallows, purple martins, dragonflies or other aerial predators are effective. Actually, birds and bats do not include many mosquitoes in their diets, despite some claims to the contrary.    

   We are making a concerted effort this year to reduce the annoyance as best as possible by using a commercial fogger that has better capabilities to apply mosquito control to larger areas. The golf course maintenance staff will fog daily the areas that are the most troublesome. Hopefully, this will reduce the population to the point that all of us can enjoy the golf course without the displeasure of mosquitoes. Please continue to apply the repellents offered by the pro shop. Remember to apply these repellents on golf car paths. The aerosol products when applied to turf will burn and brown grass areas and leave unsightly marks.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.

 

Sincerely,

Kevin Dushane

General Manager