Tiger mosquito: 4 tips to avoid the bite

The tiger mosquito is present almost everywhere in France. According to the Ministry of Health, the insect is installed in 71 metropolitan departments. This white and black striped mosquito has developed since 2004 in France. The most affected regions are those in the South of France, such as Corsica, Var or Hérault, but also Landes, Hauts-de-Seine, Paris and Rhône.

Tiger mosquito: why is this insect worrying?

The tiger mosquito is native to Asia. Its installation in France raises concerns because it is a vector of diseases such as dengue, chikungunya or the zika virus. For the moment, there is no active circulation of these diseases in France, but the Coves specifies that “the occurrence of so-called ‘native’ secondary cases (contracted without travel) may occur following the return of ‘imported’ cases. “People carrying the virus from abroad can in fact transmit the virus to another person through a tiger mosquito bite., warns the agency. To limit the risk, it is essential to fight against the tiger mosquito and avoid the bite.

Mosquito bite: protect your home to reduce the risk

ANSES’s first recommendation to limit the risk of bites is to limit the proliferation of the tiger mosquito. This insect is rather sedentary: it lives within a radius of 150 meters. To avoid being bitten, you must limit its presence around your home, and therefore prevent it from recurring. “Each female tiger mosquito lays around 200 eggsspecifies Prefecture of Deux-Sèvres. In contact with water (even in small quantities), they give rise to larvae.”

To limit the reproduction of the tiger mosquito, it is therefore necessary to hunt stagnant water. This involves putting away anything that could contain standing water, such as wheelbarrows, buckets, pots or ashtrays. After each rain, it is important to check that water has not accumulated in flower cups, folds of tarpaulins, animal bowls, etc. If you want to protect the flowers from drought, it is advisable to put sand in the cups.in order to retain humidity without there being stagnant water”, suggests Anses. It is also important to maintain the gutters to check that the water flows correctly and to cover the rainwater collectors with a mosquito net.

Three tips to avoid mosquito bites on a daily basis?

Outside the home, ANSES gives three tips to reduce the risk of being bitten. Wearing suitable clothing is the first tip: they must be long, loose and light. Length is important to ensure your wrists, arms and ankles are protected. As for color, dark clothing retains heat, which attracts mosquitoes, so light colors like white are less attractive. Finally, loose clothing limits the likelihood of being poked through the fabric.

Afterwards, the Coves recommends using skin repellents, seeking advice, if necessary, from a pharmacist or doctor. “They are used directly on exposed parts of the bodycompletes the site Vidal. Application to the face should be carried out without direct application. Application should be favored in the morning and evening, periods when disease-carrying insects are most active.” On the other hand, ANSES recalls that anti-mosquito bracelets, which contain chemical substances which repel insects, have caused several cases of burns. “The Agency recommends prohibiting the wearing of these bracelets by infants and young children.“, she notes.

Finally, the agency recommends using mosquito nets indoors. This can be to protect windows, certain rooms or suspended above the bed. If, despite all these precautions, you observe a tiger mosquito, you must report it to the site. Mosquito report.