August 25, 2016.
The tiger mosquito has been caught on several occasions in about twenty French departments, anecdotally in about thirty others. If you’ve been chasing mosquitoes in your bedroom lately, here’s how to recognize it.
The tiger mosquito, vector of chikungunya
Aedes albopictus is feared because it is the vector of two diseases, chikungunya and dengue, which it could theoretically spread in France. Not all carry the virus, but the virus survives in the body of the tiger mosquito, which transmits it when it bites a human.
But before that, you still need to know if you have tiger mosquitoes near you. First, theThe tiger mosquito is smaller than the mosquitoes we usually see in France. It measures 5 mm. Then, unlike those we know, his body is stained white, either in the form of stripes or small dots.
The flight of the tiger mosquito is slow
Moreover, the tiger mosquito is slower when it flies than the mosquitoes which usually live in our latitudes. Slower, and less excited, when he lands on the ceiling for example. Which makes it easier to kill …
At last, the tiger mosquito bites especially in the morning, at sunrise, and in the evening, when he goes to bed. Not after! A clue which is of course not valid in the house, with artificial lights, but which is important outside …
Read also: The worst viruses spread by mosquitoes
