The Saxon State Ministry for Social Affairs and Social Cohesion (SMS) informs about the first discovery of the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) in the Dresden city area, which is also the first confirmed occurrence in Saxony. In recent weeks, tiger mosquitoes have been detected in the Neustadt district of Dresden; no other areas are currently known in Saxony.
Help from the public is needed – send in mosquitoes for the mosquito atlas
The ministry is calling on the citizens of Dresden to actively help: In order to follow the further course of the spread of the tiger mosquito more closely and to find further locations, everyone is asked to catch mosquitoes and send them to the “Mosquito Atlas” for analysis. This is a cooperation between the Leibniz Center for Agricultural Research (ZALF) eV and the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI).
The “Mosquito Atlas” project identifies the species, always provides personal feedback and at the same time collects scientific data on the spread of mosquitoes in Germany. The specimens submitted make a significant contribution to obtaining a better picture of the spread of the tiger mosquito and initiating appropriate control measures.
Information on catching, collecting and sending in mosquitoes can be found on the Mosquito Atlas website at.
Important countermeasures – property owners’ responsibility
In order to prevent the uncontrolled spread of the tiger mosquito, property owners in particular are required to take containment measures. Since the mosquitoes prefer to breed in stagnant water, possible breeding sites should be removed at least weekly. These include, among others:
- Eliminate water buildup: Regularly empty watering cans, plant pot saucers, birdbaths, and other containers where rainwater can collect.
- Use of biological larvicides (Bti): The use of Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) can prevent the reproduction of mosquito larvae in standing water that cannot be removed.
- Cleaning gutters and rain barrels: Gutters and rain barrels should be cleaned regularly and, if possible, covered to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs there.
Water from possible breeding sites should be poured out, but it must not be poured down the drain! The mosquito development cycle can continue in the sewage system. During the cold season, staying in the sewage system can encourage tiger mosquitoes to overwinter. The ministry calls on all citizens to consistently implement these measures. Only through joint action can the further spread of the tiger mosquito be prevented and the associated health risk reduced.
The Asian tiger mosquito comes from Southeast Asia. Thanks to global trade and travel, it has been able to spread worldwide in recent decades. In Europe, their settlement is favored by climate change and the associated milder winters. The larvae and pupae of the tiger mosquito die at temperatures below 11°C, but the eggs are resistant to drought and temperatures down to -10°C.
Egg laying and development over four larval and one pupal stages take place in standing water. The smallest accumulations of water are sufficient for this. The period of development from the hatching of the larva to the adult mosquito depends on the environmental conditions, primarily on the temperature, and lasts between 7 and 20 days.
Potential health risks from the tiger mosquito
This invasive mosquito species can transmit dangerous pathogens such as the dengue virus, Zika virus and chikungunya virus, as well as the West Nile virus, which already occurs in Saxony. The occurrence therefore represents a potential health risk for the population. To date, there are no known cases of disease transmission from tiger mosquitoes in Germany.
If infected travelers returning from countries where these pathogens occur are bitten by tiger mosquitoes, transmission to other people is also possible in Germany, although the risk is currently assessed as low. In other European countries where the tiger mosquito has settled and spread in recent years, disease transmissions and outbreaks continue to occur. In addition, the diurnal, aggressive biting behavior of the tiger mosquito often leads to a loss of quality of life for people in affected areas.
Further information can be found on the website of the Federal Environment Agency, among others:
