The Korean bush mosquito. | Majorca Daily Bulletin reporter

TW
2

In view of climate change, experts from the Balearic University believe that, in addition to the tiger mosquito, there will be another species of mosquito on Mallorca in the future that causes unpleasant itchy bites.

This is the Korean bush mosquito. Some specimens of this insect, with the scientific name "Aedes koreicus", have been recorded in the north of Spain.

Compared to the tiger mosquito, the bush mosquito is larger. Its body is dark brown, but lighter in colour than the tiger mosquito.

Almost 200 experts, including entomologists, chemists and biologists from all over Europe, are debating how to deal with the spread of mosquitoes at the university this week.

Florence Fouque from the World Health Organisation (WHO) told the Majorca Daily Bulletin sister newspaper Ultima Hora: “Climate change and increasing population movements are leading to more interactions between mosquitoes and pathogens, and the risk of epidemics is rising. Prevention is the key.”

At the European Mosquito Control Association conference, strategies for monitoring the populations of these insects and eradicating them where possible will be discussed.

Related news

Carlos Barceló, professor at the Balearic University gave the example of the tiger mosquito, which was first sighted in Spain in 2004, came to Mallorca in 2012 and is now almost impossible to eradicate: “It has adapted very well and breeds in private homes. The problem is that we have a vector of disease that we didn’t have before,” he says.

He stressed that mosquitoes can only transmit tropical diseases such as dengue or Zika if the virus is present in a human host.

This is where tourism or increased travelling comes into play.
A person returning from a country where these pathogens are endemic comes back infected.
If they are bitten by a mosquito and the mosquito then bites another person, infection occurs. “It’s only a matter of time before these plagues arrive,” he warned.

The congress is taking place until Friday with participants from 23 European and African countries.
Florence Fouque said: “It is important to monitor mosquito populations, diagnose tropical diseases at an early stage and transfer information quickly between countries”.

Aedes koreicus is known to be a container breeding mosquito.
They lay eggs in all types of artificial containers and natural holes that are found in plants and rocks in urban, peri urban, and natural environments. Aedes koreicus lay approximately 100 eggs at a time, and can lay eggs up to three times per life cycle. Ae. koreicus eggs have long survival rates due to their resistance to desiccation and have a notably high tolerance to cold temperatures.

Aedes koreicus are known to lay their eggs during colder temperatures in preparation for a spring hatch. Adults avoid larval competition with other species in order to survive. Higher temperatures result in a lower abundance of Aedes koreicus, and diminished reproduction rates.