- It's summer and the tiger mosquito, a vector of viral diseases, is rife again in France.
- To combat this pest, ANSES is launching a site to help individuals recognize it and report its presence.
- Eliminating standing water tanks is one of the most effective ways to stem its spread.
It is the little beast that rises, that rises, and that is now well established in a good part of the country. Arrived in France in the mid-2000s, the tiger mosquito has continued to gain ground, and is now present in around sixty departments. A vector of viral diseases, it can transmit diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika to humans. Faced with health risks, the National Agency for Food, Environment and Work Health Security (ANSES) is launching an information campaign to identify and report its presence on the site reportement-moustique.anses.fr, and thus help the authorities to monitor its progress and target actions to combat this pest.
How to recognize it? And how can you prevent it from taking up residence in your garden, at the risk of spoiling your summer?
An insect "ultra resistant" and harmful
Native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, the tiger mosquito was brought to France by human activities, notably the international trade in tires. "It was in 2004 that the tiger mosquito crossed the French border, near Menton, in the South-East, retraces Anna-Bella Failloux, medical entomologist and specialist in vector mosquitoes, head of the Arbovirus and insect vector laboratory in the 'Pastor Institute. Before gradually returning to the territory, until being present today in almost two thirds of the departments of metropolitan France, including in Paris ”.
And if it spread so easily over the territory, "it is because it is both a tropical and temperate species," explains Anna-Bella Failloux. It is able to pass the cold periods in the form of eggs, eggs which in addition can support a very dry environment, before hatching as soon as it rains and the temperatures rise. This makes him an ultra-resistant species ”.
A tough pest and "responsible for an epidemic of chikungunya in Reunion in 2005 and 2006, recalls the entomologist. But which has also regularly caused indigenous cases of dengue fever in the south of France since 2010. However, for all the viruses transmitted by the tiger mosquito, there is no treatment or vaccine ”. Fortunately, not all tiger mosquitoes carry such viruses, one of them must first bite an infected person. But in France, it is he who transmits them.
Recognize the tiger mosquito to signal its presence
Hence the importance of knowing how to recognize it, to monitor its progress and stem it. In terms of looks, "the tiger mosquito does not look like the classic mosquito, the one that bites in the metro is rather brown," says Anna-Bella Failloux. The tiger mosquito is smaller, it is black with white stripes on the body and legs, and has a white line on the top of the head, ”describes the entomologist.
"To avoid mistakes, the site guides Internet users with photos and three questions: is the mosquito identified small? Is it black and white? Does it have a biting device? ", Explains ANSES, who recalls that one of its characteristics is that it" rather bites the day ".
#Tiger mosquito 🦟 - Established in nearly sixty departments in 2020, the tiger mosquito can transmit diseases to humans.
🔎 Participate in monitoring its spread by signaling its presence! Https: //t.co/ry73JLsIuZ pic.twitter.com/1CYiPdmV2R
"Intelligently fight against the tiger mosquito"
And right now, "this is the most critical time of the year: the tiger mosquito is rife now and until the fall, during which time it will swarm wherever there are pools of water" , says Anna-Bella Failloux. How to protect yourself? Not with insecticide. "Using these products kills mosquitoes, but these toxic substances also kill other essential insects, including pollinators, insists the entomologist. It is all the more counterproductive as they make tiger mosquitoes even more resistant. Hence the importance of fighting intelligently against him ”.
Faced with the invasion of mosquitoes that could scare away tourists, certain seaside resorts - including Hyères (Var), where an indigenous case of Zika was identified in 2019 - have decided to invest in traps of a kind again, which reproduce human respiration. A good old lure, but a sophisticated version. "The mosquito is attracted to human smell, so the devices that mimic it can effectively attract it," says Anna-Bella Failloux. They compete with individuals who are within the perimeter of these traps, and reduce the risk of being bitten. This can help, but not solve the problem of mosquito invasion, especially since their scope of action is limited ”.
As we have seen, every little corner of stagnant water can turn into a tiger mosquito reservoir, which develops particularly in urban and peri-urban areas. To fight against its proliferation, it is necessary to empty the cups regularly under the flowerpots, put the containers in the shelter of the rain, cover the rain water recovery cans with mosquito nets and introduce fish into the ponds. , which will eat the larvae. “It is crucial that people are informed of the biology and the environment of proliferation of tiger mosquitoes, because the majority of the breeding places are in private spaces. Individual action is essential for an effective fight, underlines Anna-Bella Failloux. If everyone eliminates the water tanks where the females are likely to lay eggs and touches a word to their neighbors so that they too are vigilant, then a big part of the work is done ”.
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- Chikungunya
- Dengue
- Insect
- Handles
- Virus
- Mosquito
- Tiger mosquito
- Health