Loire-Atlantique: Before the summer season, mosquito hunting is underway

The mercury is above 20 degrees, a light westerly wind blows at 13 km/h and the earth is still soaked with water from the heavy rains which fell on Pornic (Loire-Atlantique) and its community of communes the day before.

This Wednesday, May 22, the climate is perfect for the reproduction of mosquito halophilic in the Breton marshes of Loire-Atlantique.

To prevent its proliferation, Cyrille Malidin, technical agent of the Polleniz association, hired by the agglomeration, took on the hero’s costume.

7 dangerous species

No cape on his shoulders, but a sprayer filled with Thuringian bacillus, an insecticide composed of an organic farming bacteria, which he sprays on the larvae of mosquitoes.

For four years, Polleniz has protected local residents by removing the larvae of species transmitting disease before summer. diseases.

With his waders on, Cyrille Malidin fears nothing that comes from the tall grass of the watery area at the entrance to Villeneuve-en-Retz.

In front of the town’s tourist office, he collects samples from the marsh in his basin: “Depending on the number of larvae and the species present, we judge whether we intervene or not,” he says. before adding: “For the moment, we are lucky, the tiger mosquito is not present in our area. It’s more in Nantes and its surroundings.”

Residents living near damp areas may still be subject to bites during the summer season.

Seven species out of the 24 recorded in the department are subject to a prefectural decree asking us to eliminate them. They can transmit Zika, Chikungunya, West Nile virus, etc.

Question of timing

Polleniz hires two agents to secure the 10,000 hectares of the community of communes of Pornic.

Each of them has their defined areas, observes and intervenes, if necessary, once a week, on each larval breeding site.

Leaning over a corner of water where larvae And nymphs wiggle, Cyrille details the procedure: “If the species observed are old between 3 and 7 daysThuringian bacillus is released which blocks the insect’s digestive system and kills it.

On the other hand, if we intervene as a nymph, it is already too late.”

Climate deregulation

For several years, the number of mosquitoes has been “stagnating” in the Pays de Retz, but interventions are becoming more and more frequent according to Cyrille Malidin.

We finish processing species later because of the impact of climate change. We have milder weather throughout the year and the water temperature does not change as much as before.

Pollinator, the mosquito is an important insect for our ecosystem. Most of the time it is not dangerous, but you still need to watch it.

There mosquito control comfort undertaken by the technical agent of Polleniz “has more of a health role” rather than security.

Cyrille Malidin does not believe in a rapid proliferation of mosquitoes for the coming summer, but continues to be ready to pull his sprayer out of the sheath.

Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to Mon -.