 Hello and welcome to another edition of the Vector Encounter, a closer look. I am Glenda Cipal, an Environmental Health Officer within the Department of Health and Wellness. Today I will be talking about vector management at the Environmental Health Division. Our vector control team at the Environmental Health Division puts in effort to protect residents and visitors alike from the threat that vectors pose to their health and quality of life. How do we do it? With an integrated vector management strategy, which takes a team of environmental health officers, vector control inspectors, field technicians and other stakeholders, but most importantly, you. Our inspectors are on the front lines in the battle to curb the vector population from commercial properties and open lots to residential neighborhoods. Our team identifies breeding sites and destroys anything with the potential to breed vectors. Our mosquito management approach involves tackling mosquitoes at different stages of the life cycle. We collect mosquito egg and lava samples for study, like testing to determine if mosquitoes are developing resistance to the chemicals that we use. We treat lava-infested standing water with a naturally occurring microorganism found in soil as a lava site and use aerosol mist as part of our fogging operations to target the adult stage of the mosquito, which is always the last resort. With rats, it is important to know which rat species that may have become a tenant in your yard. Their characteristics and behaviors will determine the intervention for getting rid of them. Non-chemical approaches like reducing or eliminating food, water and shelter can rid your homes from rats and mice. Of course, our team cannot be everywhere at once and mosquitoes will breed an image and go looking for a blood meal. Rats will come in search of food and hence spread diseases along the way. We depend on you, the public, to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in your yard. Simple improvements to your home can play a substantial role to reduce vectors such as screening windows and doors, proper garbage disposal techniques and rat-proofing your home. We depend on you to take that walk around your home, especially after it rains. Identify and remove any standing water which may have collected. Engaging in simple activities like backyard and kitchen gardening can reduce the number of containers in the yard like old fridges, used tires and broken turbs. Doing your own compost is a healthier alternative to using fertilizer and hence reduces decomposing waste from the trash bin. And if you think this won't make much of a difference, consider this not-so-fun fact. One female mosquito can produce about 300 eggs in her short lifetime and a female rat can produce on average 56 offspring during her lifetime. So, imagine the impact that you have by preventing one mosquito and one rat from breeding on your property. We thank you in advance for your efforts to control vector breeding in and around your home. Remember that if you do have a mosquito or rat problem at home, the source might just be in your yard. A simple walk around the house can locate the source of the problem. But if in the event you are not able to identify the problem, you can reach out to us at 468-3700 and we can send an inspector over to assist you in your progress. In Observance of Vector ONS Week, I challenge you to regularly inspect your home, especially after the rain. Identify and remove any conditions that support rodent and mosquito proliferation. Start a backyard garden using containers that can collect water around your home and serve as a breeding site for mosquitoes. Use pesticides in accordance with the label and if unsure about something, conduct research before use. I am Glenda Sipal from the Environmental Health Division and you've been watching another edition of the Vector Encounter, a closer look.