Ah summer, sun, holidays.. and tiger mosquitoes! This year, the first egg laying of this insect was observed in the center of Val-de-Loire June 22, in the Châteauroux conglomerate. A bit surprising geographic report since it first arrived in our area in 2017 in Indri.

Then it expanded its area of ​​spread to Cher in 2019, to Indre-et-Loire in 2020, and is now Has been in Loiret since this year, report regional health agency (ARS). The latter is now responsible for monitoring and controlling diseases transmitted by tiger mosquitoes since 2020.

Fever, body aches and pains

It really is”invasive species”, Capable of transmitting tropical virusesLike dengue, chikungunya, or even Zika. To do this, they must bite an infected person while traveling in an area where the disease is actively spreading.”.

It is also advised to consult a doctor in case of sudden fever, aches or pains in the joints.

To a lesser extent, its bites cause itching and localized swelling of the skin that is more painful than that of the “classic” mosquito.

Empty the water from any container

“In the medium term, colonization of the rest of the lands seems inevitable, recognizes ARs. But it is possible to slow it down and reduce the presence of mosquitoes with a few simple measures.“

First reflex: Empty any container that may contain standing water, even a simple stopper. In fact, in this environment, the tiger mosquito will be able to reproduce.

If the containers cannot be emptied, then it is recommended, for example, to install mosquito nets on rainwater tanks, sand in flower cups, etc.

Report them

Tip 2: Report it in order to better monitor it and complete the actions taken If you think you have discovered one, you can indicate its presence on National website dedicated to ANSES. Monitoring results for 2020 are available on the ARS website.

According to the ARS, the mosquito must remain active until November, only its eggs will withstand the winter. Unlike the classic mosquito, it bites during the day, sometimes through tissues.