It has now been 20 years since tiger mosquitoes landed in metropolitan France. Every summer, we see their advances and proliferation across the country. In France, however, one department seems to have slipped through the net. We explain.
The tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is native to Southeast AsiaIts introduction in metropolitan France dates back to 2004.following the arrival of eggs transported by used tires from Italy, in Menton. Since that date, Aedes albopictus has continued to gain ground, moving from the South to the North of the country.
How come the tiger mosquito thrives so much? Not only are we doing little to stop its spread, but worse, we are contributing to many of the factors that are driving its spread. Three main ones are: trade, global warming and our modern lifestyle.
As we have said, international trade is what brought the tiger mosquito to France. Logically, the transport of goods by sea and land continues to play a major role in the spread of the insect. Tiger mosquitoes are often found in used tires, ornamental plants or simply shipping containers. Once on French territory, the critters reproduce…
Do you want to know the concrete and already present impacts of global warming? The tiger mosquito is one, certainly minor compared to other disasters, but clearly visible in our daily lives. As we have said, Aedes albopictus is native to Southeast Asia and, with warming, our climate is getting closer and closer to that of this corner of the world. Milder winter temperatures allow the tiger mosquito to survive and breed more easily in areas where it was previously absent.
Finally, the way we occupy the territory of Homo Sapiens contributes to the establishment of this other hated animal. Urban and peri-urban areas offer many potential habitats for the mosquito which appreciates environments with stagnant water pointssuch as gardens, cemeteries, and construction sites. Human behaviors, such as storing water in containers and neglecting gardens, can also create breeding grounds for the tiger mosquito. In short, we are not completely blank in the matter.
The map of the presence of tiger mosquitoes in France: a department strangely spared
This official map produced by the Ministry of Labor, Health and Solidarity is crystal clear. You see, the 23 remains white while all the surrounding departments are red. The 23rd is Creuse. A question then arises: How did this little corner of France manage to slip through the net when 78 other departments (out of 96 metropolitan departments) were affected by the invasion?
We have looked, and to our knowledge, no study can answer this question with certainty. That being said, we can put forward a very simple hypothesis: In Creuse, there are not many humans. Creuse is the second least populated French department after Lozère and the tiger mosquito is an anthropophilic animal (that is to say it likes places inhabited by humans). In terms of climate, Creuse is a rather dry and cold department, the opposite of what tiger mosquitoes like.
In any case, do not delude yourself: the establishment of the tiger mosquito throughout the territory seems inevitable. Today, Creuse is certainly still spared… but for how long?
