Liverpool mosquitoes: Bug spray shortages at Woolworths, Coles, schools ‘inundated’ by insects
Years after supermarket shelves were stripped of toilet paper, southwest Sydney residents are clambering for coveted chemicals in a bid to tackle a “pain in the ass” insect explosion.
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Supermarket shelves have been stripped bare of bug spray in parts of Sydney’s southwest amid a scramble to keep the pesky insects at bay, forcing desperate residents to drive beyond the local area to secure bottles.
A shortage of bug sprays, including Mortein, has been reported in the hotspots of Liverpool’s mosquito “plague”, including Coles in Chipping Norton and Wattle Grove, as well as Woolworths in Moorebank.
Years after toilet paper shelves were left empty in the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, locals are clambering to secure the coveted chemicals, with some driving more than 15 minutes beyond their usual shops to find repellent.
The bug spray shortages follow revelations huge numbers of mosquitoes have been swarming homes and businesses in recent days, following an outbreak traced back to a Sydney Water recycling plant in Warwick Farm.
This masthead visited numerous supermarkets across the Liverpool area on Thursday, finding while there was a supply of Aeroguard and Bushman, shelves dedicated to mosquito insecticides and coils were empty at the Chipping Norton Coles and Woolworths in Moorebank.
Warwick Farm resident Damien Lenehan was frustrated by the situation at Coles in Chipping Norton, where he was welcomed by empty shelves as he looked for insecticides.
Mr Lenehan said he had tried his luck at Coles in Liverpool, Bunnings at Bankstown Airport and online, but “everything is sold out”.
“The mozzies are an absolute pain in the ass and you can’t buy anything at the moment to do anything about it,” he said.
“All the buzz zappers are out of stock here and everywhere.
“It’s a joke. Something needs to be done.”
Mr Lenehan said the mosquito situation was “ridiculous here around Liverpool”.
“When you try to hop in the car, there’s like 15 trying to get in the car,” he said.
Michael Paps, who co-owns the U8F Gym in Chipping Norton, also gave an insight into the dire need for bug sprays last week, telling this masthead he had spent about $500 on the products in the space of just two weeks.
“I go up into the office and I have to bomb the room in Mortein, and we’re there breathing in all these chemicals,” he said.
“One can of Mortein is around $17. I bought six of them and they’ll be gone in a couple of days.”
A Woolworths spokeswoman said that chain had plenty of insecticide supply across its other Sydney stores, and it was working working hard to refill shelves.
“Due to a recent uptick in mosquitoes in southwest Sydney, we’ve noticed an increased demand for a variety of insecticides across all retailers in the region,” the spokeswoman said.
“Our team has organised for additional deliveries of insecticides to our stores in southwest Sydney, which customers can expect to see on shelves by the beginning of next week.”
Coles had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
The issue is also said to extend beyond homes and businesses, with a local MP revealing claims school classrooms had also been “inundated” by bugs.
Since the outbreak began, the NSW Department of Education has conducted pest control sprays at more than a dozen schools across the area.
Flyscreens are also set to be installed in some classrooms.
But Holsworthy Liberal MP Tina Ayyad said she was concerned not all schools in East Liverpool had received pest control treatment, nor were all schools scheduled to get flyscreens.
“The mosquito plague is severe and I call on the government for all schools, including primary schools, high schools and preschools, to be sprayed and get flyscreens,” she said.
“My community is suffering … we need to control (the mosquitoes) as there are kids walking around with welts all over them.
“People can’t step out to their porch.”
Ms Ayyad said she had received reports of teachers wearing masks during lessons and classes being either cancelled or moved to other rooms because of the high number of mosquitoes.
“Classes have had to be cancelled or kids moved onto another classroom because it’s unbearable,” she said.
“You can’t sit in a classroom which is infested with mosquitoes.”
A NSW Department of Education spokesperson said all schools were being monitored for mosquitoes and repeat fumigation was arranged as required.
“The wellbeing of students and staff remains our top priority, and we have responded to all schools that have raised concerns about mosquito infestation,” the spokesperson said.
“Internal and external mosquito spraying and cleaning at all schools in the Liverpool area occurred on Saturday and Sunday.”
The spokesman said the spraying and cleaning of affected schools had continued throughout the week and would go into the weekend.
When asked if the department would consider spraying and installing flyscreens in all schools across the Liverpool and Holsworthy local government areas, the spokesman said schools would be addressed as required.
Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun said it was disappointing to see the settlement ponds at the Warwick Farm recycling plant, where the mosquito outbreak was discovered, were overgrown with frogbit, which is a prohibited plant and breeding ground for the insects.
“Sydney Water started taking action when we reported our concerns to them on October 31,” Mr Mannoun said.
“But this didn’t happen until we started raising our concerns.”
Mr Mannoun said his council was continuing with its spraying campaign and removing breeding grounds across Liverpool.
“This means we are working with property owners in the Chipping Norton area to treat neglected swimming pools and we are actively spraying public toilet facilities, as well as removing leaf litter and taking action to clear up breeding grounds,” he said.
Minister for Water Rose Jackson declined to respond to requests for comment about what the NSW Government was doing to address the cause of the outbreak, referring questions to Sydney Water.
A Sydney Water spokesman said the organisation was continuing to work with Liverpool Council and a mosquito expert from NSW Health Pathology after being alerted to concerns of increased mosquitoes around Chipping Norton.
“Sydney Water commenced recommended work immediately, including chemical spraying, pellet deployment, and vegetation removal,” the spokesman said on Thursday.
“Further treatment will occur to ensure all the larvae have been removed.”
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