Torrevieja Council has launched an information campaign to prevent the spread of the tiger mosquito and has launched a series of tips on how to combat the problem, with information from the Ministry of Health, with the slogan ‘To the tiger mosquito, no water’.
The aim of the game is to prevent the accumulation of water and, therefore, the generation of the tiger mosquito, such as keeping pools clean throughout the year or eliminating objects that can accumulate water, in addition to emptying things like vases, ashtrays, drinking fountains or potted tubs.
They have also asked that we clean the leaves from the gutters on roofs and terraces annually; avoid holes and depressions in the ground where water can accumulate and plug holes in tree trunks by filling them with sand. They haven´t explained what to do with the leaves since they removed all of the garden waste skips.
They do not recommend putting fish or other predators in garden fountains or ornamental ponds, but they do advise hermetically covering the water tanks.
They have also called for removing old tyres and putting boats, wheelbarrows or trailers under cover, or turning them upside down and covering them with tarpaulins, as well as emptying sewers and drains.
The Council has also confirmed that the municipal pest team continues with the fumigation against the tiger mosquito in the urban area of Torrevieja, especially in areas such as parks, sports and school centres, and the forgotten land of the urbanisations which surround the biggest masses of still water in the area, the salt lakes.
Meanwhile, if you get nipped by a mozzie, there´s an app for that! Not to ease the pain or discomfort you may feel, but through the concept known as citizen science, you can notify the authorities of your bite, and if you spot any large gangs hanging around.
It is the Spanish national Government who are promoting the initiative, in collaboration with the Centre for the Coordination of Alerts and Sanitary Emergencies of the Ministry of Health, Mosquito Alert has planned a communicative and informative action to promote citizen participation with the slogan ‘If it bites you, notify!’. The objective is to study the expansion of the tiger mosquito beyond its known limit of distribution in Spain; generate the first map of bites in Spain to identify where and when there is a greater interaction between humans and mosquitoes; expand knowledge about the distribution of the Japanese mosquito in the Cantabrian coast; and detect the possible arrival of the yellow fever mosquito.
All the information provided by the public within the framework of the project contributes to the scientific study and management of invasive mosquitoes. The data can be consulted and downloaded on the Mosquito Alert map once it has been validated and classified by the experts of the National Digital Entomology Network.
The app is called MOSQUITO ALERT and the website is http://www.mosquitoalert.com/, both of which are available in English.
