Palma council takes to the air to battle mosquitoes

Large amounts of tiger mosquito larvae detected

Airborne assault. Photo: Bulletin files.

Airborne assault | Photo: MDB

Jason Moore04/06/2024 14:34

It was more a spray attack than a dog-fight but officials from the Palma city council took to the air this morning to tackle tiger mosquito larvae or eggs which have been detected in some parts of the city. The airborne raid centred around wetlands within the city which are ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Using an especially equipped helicopters more than 40 hectares of wetland was sprayed using special chemicals. The council said that the use of the helicopter was more than necessary because it could achieve within hours what an army of health officials could do in days.

The city council in a statement said that the operation had been successful although they didn't rule out the need for another "airborne raid".

The tiger mosquito, originally from Southeast Asia, has been deemed an invasive species in Spain. In addition to causing discomfort through bites from females, it is capable of transmitting various diseases. In recent years the presence of the tiger mosquito has spread throughout the Mediterranean coast.

They bite at any time of the day, including the night, and they are attracted to the dark tones and their bite can pierce the clothes. With a length of between 5 and 10 mm, one of the main differences of this mosquito with the rest of its species to be able to recognize it is its black colour with a particular white stripe on its thorax, it also has striped legs.