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Midges back in full force
by The Daily Herald
Posted: Feb 21, 2006 13:58 UTC
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PHILIPSBURG - Midges, the mosquito-like insects that infested sections of Philipsburg, particularly the environs of Great Salt Pond, for more than two months late last year and early this year, appear to be back in full force.
Residents in the Philipsburg area have complained that the insects are back in massive numbers forming coats on their vehicles and homes. “I don’t know what is happening,” one A.Th. Illidge Road resident who was greeted with a coat of midges on her vehicle Monday morning told The Daily Herald.
“It is getting bad again. There are now a lot of them from (Sunday) night,” said the resident, who opted to remain anonymous.
Another resident said she had noticed the midges in large quantities since Friday evening.
The Island Government had implemented a “rapid response plan” that included fogging, increasing the saline level of Great Salt Pond and treating the banks of the pond from Wednesday, January 18, to eliminate the rapid breeding of the mosquito-like insects. The exercise, which also included applying “dry salt” to the pond if necessary, was to be continued for a four-week period.
Health Commissioner Franklin Meyers could not be reached for comment last night. He had said in an earlier statement that while the midges were not completely gone, the saline level in Great Salt Pond would be controlled in the future to prevent another midge infestation in the Philipsburg environs. He said salt had been ordered from Bonaire to control the saline level of the pond and reduce the conditions favourable to the breeding of the insects.
He said too that the rapid breeding of the midges in late December and early January was largely due to an ecological imbalance in the pond.
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