City continues testing garlic-based tick and mosquito repellent
After beginning a trial last summer, the City of Kingston is continuing to test the effectiveness of a 100 per cent natural garlic-based product aimed at keeping mosquitos and ticks away from the dog park areas of Grass Creek Park and Rotary Park.
The natural repellent is not harmful to people or animals, the City said in a press release on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, yet it has a powerful effect on mosquitos and ticks.
“These insects have a sense of smell that is 10,000 times more sensitive than ours and, lucky for us, they don’t like garlic,” said Troy Stubinski, operations manager for the City of Kingston.
Grass Creek and Rotary dog parks were chosen as pilot locations because of their settings and popularity as destinations for residents and their pets. But it’s not just ticks and mosquitoes the City will be targeting with the product. The garlic-based spray will also be applied on the side of the road and sidewalk along Centennial Drive between Crossfield Avenue and Atkinson Street to see if it will keep geese from walking across the street and creating a traffic hazard, as was done last year. Geese do not like the taste of the repellant on the grass they eat. The City will be applying the product every three to four weeks throughout the spring, summer and fall.
Staff will use the information gathered to identify resource and budget requirements to expand use of the garlic-based repellent to other key locations, according to the City.
The City would like to remind residents that many parks have planned naturalized areas intentionally left to grow wild and asks that residents keep to pathways to enjoy non-wild walks and avoid ticks.
For more information on the City’s pilot project, click here.
For information from KFL&A Public Health about Lyme disease, click here.
For information from KFL&A Public Health about West Nile Virus, click here.
Is this repellent going to go on market or is it still being used on trial. Do you think this could be used for humans as protection this will be interesting to follow.
It can be sprayed on humans but there are better products for that contact me [email protected], Edward 613 539-1472
I’d be a bit cautious using garlic – it is toxic to dogs and cats. See attached.
Garlic belongs to the Allium family (which also includes onion, chives, and leeks) and is poisonous to dogs and cats. … While tiny amounts of these foods in some pets, especially dogs, may be safe, large amounts can be very toxic.
Can you send me proof that this is true, I’VE been looking for 3 years because of someone else said that and I cant find anything to say it is harmful. Im not being funny I really would like some kind of proof if this is true