The report was made via their online platform and was confirmed based on a photograph.
How to recognize a tiger mosquito?
The tiger mosquito is a small black mosquito generally between 4 or 5 millimeters, but can be up to 9 millimeters in length. It can be recognized by the white line on the back of its head and back, the five white stripes on its legs and the completely white tip of the last section of its rear legs. The greatest danger of tiger mosquitoes is that they are capable of transmitting various pathogens. Indeed, this species is one of the most important vectors of dengue, Zika and chikungunya viruses, but can also transmit West Nile virus.
What can you do against the tiger mosquito?
The tiger mosquito is well adapted to the urban environment. It lays its eggs in objects containing stagnant water in the garden or on the terrace. Stagnant water should therefore be avoided as much as possible.
Here are some tips to easily apply at home: change animal waterers and bird baths every 5 days, put empty flower pots, bowls or cups, containers, buckets, toys and wheelbarrows in the indoors or under a shelter, or turn them upside down, cover barrels filled with rainwater with a mosquito net, change the water in the cups under the flower pots every 5 days, avoid leaving water on the plastic sheeting by spreading them well, clean and repair the gutters regularly. Ponds, ponds, swimming pools or large volumes of stagnant water are not ideal breeding grounds for the tiger mosquito and therefore do not pose a problem.
More info: https://surveillancemoustiques.be/reduction-de-la-population-de-moustiques
What should you do if you see a tiger mosquito?
Take a photo of it and report it via the citizen platform for monitoring and reporting the tiger mosquito in Belgium: https://surveillancemoustiques.be/ or the mobile application of the same name (available for IOS and Android).
