Midges continue to bug Bedok residents

Multiple agencies join forces and are working overtime to fight sudden surge of insects
Cai Haoxiang Straits Times 22 Jan 11;

THE Bedok insect problem showed little signs of abating yesterday, even as multi-agency efforts were stepped up to tackle the infestation by millions of tiny insects called non-biting midges.

Larvae-spawning grounds around the Bedok Reservoir have been found and are being treated with insecticide. Corridors and void decks of all 33 nearby Housing Board blocks have also been sprayed with the insecticide, which will be effective for at least a week.

Meanwhile, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has taken larvae and water samples in order to analyse the cause of the explosion in the population of midges, which are scientifically known as Chironomidae and are either green or black.

'All agencies are working overtime to solve this problem,' said Aljunied Town Council chairman Cynthia Phua, who visited shops around Bedok Reservoir in the evening with representatives from the town council, National Parks Board, PUB and NEA.

Giving an update on the situation, Madam Phua, an MP for Aljunied GRC, said the infestation had clearly affected businesses, which have been forced to close early at night as the insects are attracted to lights, get into food and inconvenience residents.

'My grassroots leaders will walk around more often to reassure residents that we are trying to reduce the numbers of adult flying insects, as well as larvae,' she said.

Madam Phua's visit came three days after a similar tour of the area by Foreign Minister George Yeo, whose Bedok Reservoir-Punggol ward of Aljunied GRC has been the worst hit by the sudden surge in the midge population since the start of the year.

The main reason behind the infestation has not yet been established, said PUB deputy director Goh Chong Hoon. But the recent cold and rainy weather, or changes to the ecosystem in the area, could be causes.

Mr Goh said that a breakthrough yesterday morning came when PUB and NEA officers found midge eggs and larvae in the mud beneath the stone blocks around the Bedok Reservoir. Since then, steps have been taken to destroy as many larvae as possible.

Eradicating the larvae is key, said NEA senior operations manager Tang Choon Siang: 'The larvae have a life cycle of seven days. Adult flying insects exist only to mate, do not feed, and die after a day.'

NEA staff are also taking water and insect samples from different parts of the reservoir, but laboratory analysis of these samples will take some time.

NParks contractors have also sprayed trees with insecticide and are keeping the grass in the area short, a spokesman said.

Residents at eateries yesterday were seen covering their drinks with tissue paper or bowls. Those interviewed said they were resigned to sweeping up, every few hours, the bodies of the many insects that fly into their homes and die soon after.

Said prawn noodle seller Tan Dian Swee, 49: 'The insecticide-spraying in the afternoon keeps the insects away for a while, but they come back again at night.'

Bedok midges mostly wiped out
Tanya Fong Channel NewsAsia 31 Jan 11;

SINGAPORE: The population of green flies known as midges which has plagued residents of Bedok Reservoir for two weeks, has now been reduced by 95 per cent.

This followed efforts by national water agency PUB and the National Environment Agency (NEA).

Water-based pesticides were sprayed on the reservoir as well as surrounding HDB blocks.

A solid form of the pesticide, known as BTI, was also dropped into the reservoir.

BTI is safe and environmentally-friendly.

The tiny insects are harmless -- they don't bite and do not carry any diseases -- but they annoy residents by landing in clusters, on people and food.

It is still not known what caused their population to surge.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and MP for Aljunied GRC George Yeo went down to the area again on Monday to get an update.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Yeo said he is happy that the situation has improved.

"When I came down (to Bedok Reservoir) 13 days ago, it was at its worst," Mr Yeo said.

"It was so bad and a number of shops had to close by 8pm. Chinese New Year is around the corner and this is when the most business is to be done.

"So I'm glad that things are back to normal. Customers are returning and we'll have a happy new year."

One relieved resident said: "We were worried that the baby may breathe in the flies (so) we are quite relieved that this midge population (problem) is being settled, (and) during Chinese New Year, we can open the doors and windows".

-CNA/wk

Phew, Bedok residents no longer plagued by tiny flies
Andrea Ong Straits Times 1 Feb 11;

FOR almost a week, the Hanis and Rafi restaurant at Block 742 Bedok Reservoir Road had been forced to close at 6pm, three hours early.

Like many shops in Bedok Reservoir estate, it was plagued by swarms of the tiny black and green flies which are drawn to light. These midges do not bite but their horrible sight drove residents to hole up at home at night, in darkness.

The nightmare that struck the estate a fortnight ago prompted the authorities to fog and spray insecticide across the fields, corridors and reservoir over several days, killing the tiny pests.

Yesterday, Foreign Minister George Yeo, looking relieved, said: 'Not a moment too soon because Chinese New Year is just round the corner, and this is when the most business is to be done. I'm glad things have come back to normal.'

The MP of Bedok Reservoir-Punggol ward in Aljunied GRC had seen the worst of the infestation when he visited the area on Jan 18.

Establishments like Hanis and Rafi, however, said business is not back to normal despite the midges having all but disappeared since last Thursday.

Mr Haroun Ripin, 65, who runs the restaurant with his wife, said: 'Business is just at 70 per cent of what it used to be.'

Millions of midges had been found breeding in the shallow waters of Bedok Reservoir.

But separate tests by the Public Utilities Board (PUB) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) recently found the number of midge eggs and larvae had fallen by 95 per cent.

To kill the adult midges, Aljunied Town Council chairman Cynthia Phua said fogging of the estate and reservoir was carried out 'at the same time, from 5pm to 7pm daily, so the midges couldn't escape and hide elsewhere'.

Unlike mosquito larvae, which float near the water surface, midge larvae and eggs stay hidden in the mud and algae surrounding the rocks near the reservoir bank, said PUB deputy director Goh Chong Hoon.

Hence, BTI insecticide, which does not harm humans, was applied to the mud, soil, rocks and water near the reservoir fringes, he added.

The cause of the infestation is still unknown, said Mr Yeo. The NEA will study the problem as Pandan Reservoir in Jurong had a similar outbreak. 'Obviously something in the weather has caused a proliferation of two different species or sub-species in two different parts of Singapore, so we've got to study this,' he added.

Some residents worry the midges may return when the current rainy season is over. Said 32-year-old Kurt Goh, who lives in Block 742: 'In the meantime, I will continue to keep my doors and windows shut.'

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