While Antalya Metropolitan Municipality carries out its pest and fly control activities with 1600 personnel throughout the year, it provides training for the personnel fighting against vectors in 19 districts to make the applications more efficient. Speaking at the training, Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Çetin said that with the effect of climate change, new and invasive fly species that were not previously found in Turkey began to appear.
Antalya Metropolitan Municipality continues its vector control efforts uninterruptedly, throughout summer and winter, to ensure that the public has a fly-free summer. It provides uninterrupted service 1600 months a year with 195 personnel, 12 vehicles and hundreds of equipment. Vector control training is regularly organized for the implementing personnel involved in the pesticide operations carried out by the Environmental Health Branch Directorate of the Environmental Protection and Control Department to protect public health and environmental health. In this context, Akdeniz University (AÜ) Faculty of Science Lecturer Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Çetin gave information to 400 personnel working in Manavgat, Serik, Akseki and İbradı about methods of combating larvae and adults of vectors, current technological innovations and emerging application methods and biocidal products.
THE BIGGEST TEAM IS IN ANTALYA
Metropolitan Municipality Environmental Health Branch Manager Mesut Çınar stated that they work day and night on land and in water with a fighting army of 1600 people to ensure that citizens have a comfortable summer, and said: “We are fighting non-stop for 1600 months of the year with 195 personnel, 12 vehicles and hundreds of equipment. We have the largest team among municipalities according to our population. We regularly continue our scientific and academic training so that our teams can carry out their practices more efficiently and consciously. During the training, we explain to the teams the medications they use, where they should apply, combat methods and updated practices. Let our citizens have peace of mind. “We continue to work non-stop for a peaceful and healthy summer.”
INVASIVE FLY SPECIES ARE IN OUR COUNTRY
Prof. stated that the impact of climate change in Turkey has been clearly seen in recent years during the training held at Manavgat Atatürk Cultural Center. Dr. Hüseyin Çetin noted that there was an extreme disorder in the rainfall regime. Çetin said, “We are experiencing the hottest March and April of the last 90 years. The result of this is a breeding ground for pests. Vector-borne diseases and different insect species began to emerge. We also see invasive mosquito species in our country. "We are working intensively to prevent these flies from being seen and spreading in our region," he said.
PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE
Noting that there are 65 different fly species in Turkey and approximately 20 different fly species in Antalya, Çetin said, “With the changing rainfall regime and increasing temperatures, species that are not seen in Turkey have spread to our country. It started to be seen in regions such as Izmir, Thrace and Marmara and reached as far as Muğla. "As a precaution, regular screenings are carried out by the Metropolitan Municipality and Akdeniz University and regular tests of the drugs used are carried out," he said.
POUNDS OF WATER SHOULD NOT BE LEFT AROUND.
Prof. said that in the fight against pests such as mosquitoes and houseflies, containers that may accumulate water, especially around residences and gardens, should be emptied regularly. Dr. Çetin said, 'With the rainwater filling the empty containers placed by our citizens, mosquitoes and insects lay eggs here. Afterwards, uncontrolled flight occurs. "In addition, excessive feed should not be given to stray animals, because rodents such as mice and rats in the environment feed on them," he said.