The municipality of Séméac has decided to raise awareness by leading to the door to door, in order to counter the proliferation of tiger mosquitoes. This initiative also helps to better understand the life of this insect. And it’s very interesting.
“It is a phenomenon not yet disturbing, but which must be taken into consideration.“Caroline Bapt, first assistant to Séméac, and member of the network of species of challenges for human health, is serious by evoking the observed proliferation of the tiger mosquito in France. And Bigorre does not escape it. If this migre insect, he can transport with him pathologies that can lead to epidemies. Zika, three main diseases that put the regional health agency on alert, by indigenous cases already reported for the first two.
Forgotten water drop, guest mosquitoes
That day, with Mélina Germain, project manager, and Samuel, trainee, management student, nature protection, they are at Jeannie Cazenave, a Séméacaise “everywhere“, As she reminds us. The opportunity, therefore, in her garden, potential playground for tigers mosquitoes, to make her, without bad puns, a recall bite.
“Already, you should know that there are only women who bite, living only one month, but which can lay almost 1,000 eggs during this period“, Advises Caroline. Mélina adds:”For a ladder female, it takes water, because the larvae need water to live. A drop of water is potentially a mosquito nest. If the water cycle is cut, the larva dies. Other information, a tiger mosquito lives in an area of 100m around its birthplace. So the one who stings you comes from your home, or from your neighbor.“
Avoid all stagnant waters, even the smallest
These facts placed, it is time to give some tips to limit the laying places, “All without judgment on properties“, completes Caroline.”We just provide help“.
Thus, the good practices to intervene are numerous: empty once a week the saucers filled with water, under flower pots, do not have stagnant water in basins or swimming pools, storing the tarpaulins in bulk or relaxed which take the rain, just like the toys of children who hang out outside. At the vegetable garden, keep the watering tackles, and cover the water recuperators. On the roofs, clean the flow areas, such as gutters, where dams can be created because of leaves or pine cones. All this, being vigilant from May to November.
Sand at the cemetery
The municipality provides sand to the cemetery, so that each citizen has at the bottom of the saucers hosting flower pots. The sand can absorb water, preventing it from stagnating. Mosquitoes cannot therefore lay in these saucers.