New 'Mosquito Terminator' project aims to do away with irritating insects
The Alberta Birds of Prey Centre is home to the region's first 'Mosquito Terminator' concept, which is simply a nesting platform for species that feed on the world's most hated insects.
The concept is simple; the more barn swallows and bats that can find safe and peaceful shelter, the more mosquitoes they will eat, effectively decreasing the blood sucking bug's population in the area.
"Nobody loves mosquitoes other than those that eat them," said Kelly Weatherall, Fortis Alberta senior planner and the mastermind behind the nesting platform.
"Barn swallows tend to nest under people's houses and they tend to be over doors or windows," said Weathereall. "They make a mess, and people try to get rid of them so I'm thinking well, here we want them, so let's make a spot for them."
The nesting platforms are designed to withstand southern Alberta's fierce wind while effectively simulating the roof of a barn.
With the birds hunting during the day and bats going out to eat at night, the concept is essentially a 24/7 mosquito killing operation.
"Barn swallows and especially bats are just voracious consumers of mosquitoes and so we all know how bugs like that really irritate us and it's good to use a real natural control," said Colin Weir, the executive director for the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre.
"One of the things that we want to do at the centre is, we want this to be a place where there are different ideas that people can actually take and use them in their own farms, acreages, and even urban backyards," Weir said.
Mosquito terminator
UNVEILED THURSDAY
The project was unveiled on Thursday, and no birds or bats have moved in just yet.
But the goal is for the project to take flight by making this a more mainstream approach to mosquito control while offering a safe space for barn swallows and bats.
"It is a pretty neat looking structure and it is a unique design so there's a lot to be learned," said Fortis Alberta president and CEO Janine Sullivan.
"That's the whole idea these days is to understand how projects like this can help us really sustain the environment and support wildlife."
An individual swallow or bat can eat up to a thousand mosquitoes per day, which is a promising statistic for the project.
Fortis Alberta is the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre's biggest supporter having donated $720,000 since 2006.
During Thursday's unveiling of the nesting platform, the company presented the centre with another $50,000 cheque to cover operating costs during the centres' most challenging year ever.
"They've just been such a wonderful, supportive corporate sponsor over the years. They're making a meaningful difference to the environment here in southern Alberta," said Weir.
The centre opened its doors on May 15 and is open to the public seven days a week from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Here's how much more Canadian landlords are asking for now, according to a just-released report
A new report says the average asking rent for a home in Canada in April was up 9.3 per cent compared with a year ago, while a slight month-over-month increase was also recorded for the first time since January.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
What is basic income, and how would it impact me?
Parliamentarians are considering a pair of bills aiming to lift people out of poverty through a basic income program, but some fear these types of systems could result in more taxes for Canadians who are already financially struggling.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Out-of-control wildfire burning near Fort McMurray
As of 9 a.m. on Friday, the wildfire burning 28 kilometres southwest of the northeastern Alberta city was 25 hectares in size.
Mexico's president accuses press and volunteer searchers for missing people of 'necrophilia'
The administration of Mexico's president has accused the press and volunteer searchers who look for the bodies of missing people of 'necrophilia,' comments that drew criticism this week.