Tiger mosquito control

Official advice says this will stop the female laying eggs and is more effective than traps.

Jean-Claude Mouret, technician for EID Méditerranée, the public body set up to control mosquito invasions along the Mediterranean coast, said tiger mosquitoes are different from other varieties, so the approach has to be different.

He said: “The female will lay her eggs in any stagnant water, in any receptacle.

“This means we have to ask the general public to be vigilant during the breeding season from March to September and to empty any water lying around every four days. For example, try not to leave water in a watering can, but empty it and turn it upside down.

“Put netting over a water butt and sand where water collects, to absorb it. If there is nowhere to lay eggs, and nowhere for the larvae to develop, there will be no more mosquitoes.”

He said they do not advise traps: “We are not convinced there are any on the market which are effective. The problem with traps installed by communes is that they do not kill the female.

She lays in up to five places and so one trap destroys a fifth of her eggs.”

Tiger mosquitoes are present in 51 departments, across the south of France and as far north as Aisne.

If you see them, send a photo to signalement-moustique.anses.fr. General information is available at moustiquetigre.org.