The tiger mosquito, which likes to settle near standing water, is also welcoming the return of good weather, and here are measures you can take in your home to limit the spread of the insect.
After successive episodes of rain, good weather should finally return everywhere in France from Monday, June 24, 2024. A short heatwave is expected until at least Wednesday. Summer has finally begun, but it's also what the tiger mosquito has been waiting for.
If rain is not suitable for the insect, water on the other hand is its best ally. The tiger mosquito breeds near stagnant water. The eggs grow there very quickly and the insect can reach its adult form within a week. “Without water, the eggs do not hatch, and therefore there is no new generation of mosquitoes!”, reminds the Regional Health Agency.
After the bad weather and with drier weather approaching, here are the correct measures to follow to avoid mosquito invasion in the coming days:
- Empty outdoor containers that can hold standing water at least once a week (bowls, watering cans, buckets, vases, umbrella bases, etc.)
- Store gardening tools (buckets, watering cans, etc.), trash cans, tires, or children's toys away from rain and/or watering
- Cover rainwater catchers, tanks or various other barrels tightly or with a mosquito net
- Cleaning drains from gutters or gutters, or water from siphons, fountains, outside drains, or open gutters with grates.
“The tiger mosquito only lives in a radius of 150 meters around it. If you have one at home, it is because it was born nearby: on the balcony of your building, in your garden or in your neighbour’s house. It prefers small amounts of water to lay its eggs and develop It grows in all types of containers and artificial reservoirs where water can stagnate.
Already nearly 3,000 imported dengue cases will occur in France in 2024
Caution is advised with the tiger mosquito because the insect can transmit tropical diseases such as Zika, chikungunya, or dengue fever. Imported cases from overseas territories exploded in 2024: 2,166 imported dengue cases between January 1 and April 30, while there were “only” 128 cases in 2023 during the same period.
The French Public Health Authority also reported that between May 1 and June 18, an additional 601 imported dengue cases were reported in the country. 60% of cases returned from Guadeloupe and Martinique. The most affected region is Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes with 94 cases, ahead of Ile-de-France with 85 cases and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur with 76 cases. In Occitania, 39 imported dengue cases have been recorded since May 1.
78 out of 96 departments are considered colonized by the tiger mosquito in France, in 2024. In the south of the country, especially on the edge of the Mediterranean, more than 40% of municipalities are colonized by the insect.
