“Tiger Mosquito Awareness Workshop: Tips to Guard Against the Growing Presence of Mosquitoes”

The Lourdes media library hosted a tiger mosquito awareness workshop this Saturday, April 15. The objective, to pinpoint a public health problem, through discussions and games: “The tiger mosquito is a vector of disease, it can transmit Chickungunya, Zika, dengue. It is rather rare to catch, but it is a risk against which we must protect ourselves” explains Lætitia from Art’Piculture and workshop leader.

The tiger mosquito recognizable by its silvery lines is adapting and its presence is growing in France: “Is it possible to get rid of it?” asks one of the participants. The answer is no: “It can be dangerous, whether it is the use of pesticides on our own health but especially for biodiversity. We must not forget that the mosquito is food for birds and frogs”.

The only thing to do is to guard against the insect and for this there are various means. Using repellents on your clothes, mosquito nets, CO2 traps, encouraging the return of birds such as swallows or other predators to your place of residence… The most important thing is to attack the root of the problem, the proliferation of mosquitoes . “The female can lay up to 1,000 eggs in her lifetime. For her eggs, she just needs a suitable surface and some standing water. It is therefore essential to clean the cups, watering cans, gutters and other surfaces where water can persist” explains Lætitia.

For the speaker, the next step, raise awareness among local municipalities.