The tiger mosquito, identifiable by its black and white stripes on the body, continues its progression on French territory. After showing his taste for stays on the Côte d’Azur, he decided to venture into more temperate areas. Currently 20 departments are on red alert (which means that mosquitoes are very present and active there) and 21 are on orange alert (a few mosquitoes have been intercepted there), according to the updated map of the Mosquitoes Vigilance website.
This species of mosquito is new in temperate zones, and causes new health alert situations because the tiger mosquito is a potential vector of serious diseases (dengue and chikungunya) and epidemic phenomena can spread rapidly.
In 2014, in mainland France, 2,327 cases of chikungunya and 953 cases of dengue were reported by the surveillance network. These figures show a clear increase in the number of suspected and confirmed cases, compared to 2013. This year, with a hot and rainy month of June, the larvae have proliferated. These favorable conditions are added to the unparalleled adaptability of this mosquito from Asia which can colonize every corner of the water in gardens, houses and terraces.
As the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Regional Health Agency emphasizes: “The tiger mosquito is strongly affiliated with humans, which means that it lives as close as possible to us, in our homes, in our homes. gardens, on our terraces and on our balconies. To prevent it from reproducing and proliferating, it is necessary to destroy its eggs and therefore remove the water in which the female lays. “
In your garden, think about:
Empty the plant cups and anything that holds small amounts of water (children’s toys, furniture and garden decorations).
Collecting green waste, they too can become water containers and shelter mosquito eggs.
Empty the water reservoirs of the air conditioners.
Remove the leaves and all plants blocking the gutters.
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