In the Cher, the town of Bourges continues its anti-tiger mosquito operation. In recent days, the municipality has distributed a guide to good practices to prevent the spread of the insect.
“Let’s take the right actions! Cut off the water for the tiger mosquitoes and pass the message to your neighbor!”. This message appears on leaflets distributed at this very moment by Bourges town hall to people residing in neighborhoods where the population of tiger mosquitoes is high.
A subject taken very seriously by the municipality, since 17 infested areas have already been identified in Bourges. This year, “the tiger mosquito continues to proliferate (…) it is there, it is present”, indicates Catherine Menguy, deputy mayor, delegate for ecological transition and green spaces in Bourges. But the elected official immediately reassures: “There is not an invasion of mosquitoes in Bourges which would require, for health reasons, mosquito control.”
The problem is stagnant water, swimming pools, ponds, ponds and then water reserves that are not closed
Catherine Menguy, deputy mayor, delegate for ecological transition and green spaces in Bourges
However, the evolution of the spread of the tiger mosquito is closely monitored, as this species is capable of transmitting dangerous diseases such as dengue, chikungunya or zika.
Last year, in July, in the Moulin de la Voiselle district, a resident returning from a stay in the West Indies contracted dengue fever. This was followed by a mosquito control operation around the patient’s house. “The goal is to break the chain of transmission of the virus, therefore to eliminate mosquitoes which could bite a sick person and then bite a healthy person and transmit the disease to them,” explains Virginie Grandclément, environmental health engineer at the ARS du Cher.
A few drops of stagnant water are enough for a female to lay between 100 and 200 eggs per day. Hence this prevention and communication action among Berruyers. “The problem is stagnant water, swimming pools, ponds, ponds and then water reserves which are not closed so I invite everyone to put a mosquito net on their water reserve”recalls Catherine Menguy.
Regularly empty the cups under the flower pots, protect containers that could fill with rainwater, clean the gutters to encourage water flow, etc. All these actions help to keep the insect away.
Through this booklet, the municipality also details the procedure to follow to protect itself.
How to properly protect yourself against mosquitoes?
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© City of Bourges
In addition to its appearance – black and white stripes – the tiger mosquito is differentiated by its size. With its 5 millimeters, it is smaller than its peers. It is also said to be diurnal and exophilic. That is to say, it tends to bite during the day, often in the morning or evening and it lives mainly outdoors.
The authorities encourage everyone to report the presence of the tiger mosquito in the territory to better monitor it and therefore better study its spread in France.
