Increasing temperatures these days can lead to an infestation of the tiger mosquito. Since its arrival in France in 2004, the tiger mosquito has gradually invaded French territory. Recently, the Ministry of Solidarity and Health has also put 67 French departments on high alert until November 2022 against these dangerous insects. Here are some tips to protect yourself from this.
The first danger: stagnant water
To protect against the tiger mosquito, it is necessary, first of all, to eliminate standing water. In fact, the female mosquito lays her eggs in this water. It is then necessary to regularly cover or empty rainwater catches or saucers under flower pots or gutters. If you have a pond, put fish and bacteria in it to make it predatory.
To prevent stagnant water, local initiatives can be taken. In the cemetery of Aix-les-Bains, for example, sandboxes are now available next to every water point. Visitors are asked to fill pots cups and vases with sand.
Finally, prune your bushes regularly, because mosquitoes hide there during hot weather. And feel free to use a fan, too, because mosquitoes hate the wind.
protect your body
In order to reduce tiger mosquito bites, the World Health Organization (WHO) offers some advice. It is recommended that you protect your home with mosquito nets on the windows. The use of insect repellents, coils, and sprays are also effective. These preventive measures should be applied both indoors and outdoors.
Protecting yourself also means adapting your clothing style and preferring clothing that covers the skin as much as possible. This recommendation also applies to travelers. Health authorities recommend that tourists traveling to an area where major diseases (chikungunya, dengue, Zika) are present should protect themselves during their travels.
Prevent mosquito breeding
Fighting tiger mosquitos also means treating the problem right at the source and preventing their reproduction. Females can lay up to 300 eggs per week in periods of high heat, hence the need to limit egg laying.
Note that the maximum distance between a mosquito and its birthplace is about 150 metres. In other words, it is very likely that its nest will be near your house, or even right in your house.
Is your community affected?
The National Agency for Food Safety, Environment and Occupational Health (ANSES) has created a platform to list municipalities where tiger mosquitoes have already been reported. Hence it can be checked whether his village or city is part of it. Conversely, if you are not part of it yet but have noticed a tiger mosquito, you can report it on the official portal of the health authorities: audio signal.