An experiment aimed at improving tiger mosquito control will be conducted in a town in the metropolitan area of ​​Montpellier this year. The insect has colonized nearly half of the municipalities of Occitania.

Tiger mosquitoes have colonized 44% of the municipalities of Occitania. The case of Morville-les-Montpellier was no exception. Colonized by biting insects since 2019, this town in Hérault will be at the center of a research project It aims to improve tiger mosquito control (Aedes albopictus).

Municipal and Montpellier city She collaborates with researchers from the Institute for Research for Development (IRD) and Altopictus, operator of vector control (LAV) of the Regional Health Agency (ARS) Occitanie, on this research project called RESTALBOC.

It is planned to capture tiger mosquitoes in the city

As part of this, researchers from Altopictus and the IRD will travel to the city of Murviel-lès-Montpellier to capture tiger mosquitoes in vegetation and urban structures.

they will Day and night, throughout the season spread“Aedes albopictus this year. The researchers will capture it in public, but also from the volunteer population.

What this research project aims to do at Morville is not Montpellier

These families aim to identify the shelters used by the insect. An inventory’ that makes it possible to better target ARS-triggered LAV interventions in case of possible or confirmed spread of dengue, chikungunya or Zika viruses. The tiger mosquito is indeed a vector of these diseases.

This device should also provide information on the use of the sterile insect technique, developed by the IRD, in order to control tiger mosquito infestations. Thus, male (non-biting) mosquitoes would be tagged, released and then re-captured to the different shelters for Evaluate its ability to disperse.