A northeastern B.C. community is discovering a little garlic can make a big difference when battling an itchy pest.
The District of Taylor, just south of Fort St. John, is using a garlic spray to fight mosquitoes and Mayor Rob Fraser says it’s working.
He says ball diamonds have now been misted with the 99 per cent garlic spray and a second application is planned.
Taylor councillors have been assured the spray can kill mosquito larvae while leftover sulphers, undetectable by humans, can deter adult mosquitoes for weeks.
Floods and heavy rains delayed the experiment but Fraser says Taylor residents are generally pleased and some have even bought the product and sprayed it themselves.
He says if the second application goes as well, council will have to decide on a budget to expand the project in 2017.
“The next phase (would) also have a look at the equipment. Right now, we’re just spraying it with backpacks, so it is very labour intensive,” he says.
Leduc, Alta., and Huntsville, Ont., have also used the environmentally friendly garlic solution to eradicate mosquitoes.