This invasive species has spread all over the planet: today, only Antarctica is still preserved. This expansion, mainly linked to international trade, has earned it the status of being one of the most invasive species in the world thanks to its adaptability to regions with cold winters. In mainland France, at the end of 2021, the tiger mosquito is implanted in 67 departments.
Capable of transmitting viruses such as dengue fever, chikungunya or Zika to humans, the tiger mosquito is monitored by the authorities, in particular through the Report-mosquito site.
How to distinguish the tiger mosquito from other mosquitoes?
Quiet and daytime : unlike the common mosquito (Culex) which tends to bite at night and whose flight is noisy, the tiger mosquito is diurnal, that is to say, it bites more during the day (mainly in the morning and evening) and silent.
Short : the name “tiger mosquito” can easily be misleading. Small in size, the tiger mosquito is smaller than a 1 euro cent coin (less than 0.5 centimeters)!
White and black striped : l once more, its name is misleading since the tiger mosquito is not yellow and black but white and black. It is also characterized by the presence of a white dorsal line along its thorax. Its legs are also striped.
Can tiger mosquitoes transmit disease-causing pathogens?
Some mosquitoes – less than 400 among the diversity of the 3500 existing species – can be vectors of pathogenic agents (viruses, bacteria, parasites). For this, the mosquito must first become infected, by taking the pathogenic agent during its blood meal on an infected person or animal. Once infected, the female mosquito will be able to transmit the pathogenic agent to a healthy subject during a new blood meal. It takes several days for a mosquito to become infective, ie the virus crosses the digestive barrier, multiplies and passes into its saliva. A mosquito does not directly inject the blood it has taken from a previous host and is not capable of transmitting any pathogen.
The tiger mosquito can carry many viruses such as dengue, Zika or chikungunya. To date, these viruses are not actively circulating in mainland France. Nevertheless, the occurrence of so-called “indigenous” secondary cases (contracted without travel) can occur following the return of “imported” cases. Persons carrying the virus from abroad can indeed transmit the virus to another person during a tiger mosquito bite.
In mainland France, to date, other mosquitoes essentially represent a source of nuisance or discomfort.
Where do they proliferate?
ParParticularly resistant and adapted to the human environment, the tiger mosquito develops preferentially in peri-urban environments as well as in very dense urban areas.
The female lays eggs in all kinds of containers and artificial water reservoirs: vases, pots, barrels, cans, gutters, rain drains, gutters, terraces on studs, old tires… A female mosquito can lay several hundred eggs with each laying , and the females of certain species can lay several eggs during their lifetime, the effort to eliminate spawning grounds is essential.
Tiger mosquitoes are said to be “exophilic”, that is to say that they mostly live outside, they can nevertheless enter houses to bite a person.
How to prevent their proliferation at the individual level?
To prevent the proliferation of this species by destroying the spawning grounds, it is necessary to:
- regularly empty or remove the cups under the flower pots, vases, etc. or fill them with sand in order to retain the humidity without there being any stagnant water;
- store, sheltered from the rain, buckets, gardening equipment, toys or miscellaneous containers;
- cover the water collection containers with a mosquito net or fabric;
- clean the gutters to facilitate the proper flow of water.
And don’t hesitate to share these best practices with your neighbors and loved ones!
> Download our infographic “Tiger mosquito: we all have a role to play!” (PDF)
Why and how to report the presence of the tiger mosquito?
You can also contribute to the monitoring of the tiger mosquito by reporting its presence on the site signalement-moustique.fr.
Created in 2014 at the request of the Ministry of Health and managed by ANSES since 2018, this website aims to detect the presence of the tiger mosquito early. Thanks to reports made by citizens, the list of colonized municipalities in metropolitan France is regularly updated. The data collected allows the health authorities to put in place appropriate and targeted control measures in the event of arbovirosis such as Zika, dengue fever or chikungunya.
Before reporting a tiger mosquito on the dedicated websiteyou must have a photograph of the mosquito or a specimen allowing its identification (by sending a sample to the operator in charge of mosquito control in your region if necessary).
Once this condition has been met, to verify that you are indeed in the presence of a tiger mosquito, you will need to answer the three questions below. If necessary, you can add your report.
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Is the mosquito small?
The name “tiger mosquito” can indeed easily mislead. Small in size, the tiger mosquito is smaller than a 1 euro cent coin (i.e. less than 5 millimeters) -
What is her color ? Again, its name is misleading since the tiger mosquito is not yellow and black but white and black. It is also characterized by the presence of a white line along its thorax.
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Does the mosquito have five rings of white scales on the hind legs and a white dorsal line on the thorax? The hind legs of the tiger mosquito are black and have five rings of white scales. In addition, the dorsal part of the thorax is covered with black scales in the tiger mosquito. In the middle is a conspicuous straight line of white scales (midline). Mosquitoes that have more than one line of scales on the thorax or other brown or gold colored patterns are therefore not tiger mosquitoes.
What actions are implemented by the authorities?
To prevent and manage the risks associated with vector-borne diseases, the authorities are implementing surveillance and vector control actions.
So-called “entomological” surveillance makes it possible to detect the arrival of the tiger mosquito and to follow its extension on the territory. This monitoring system includes networks of nesting traps, installed in areas at high risk of importation of the tiger mosquito (such as port areas), along communication axes or in municipalities where the mosquito has not yet been detected. identified. This so-called “active” entomological surveillance is carried out by the operators in charge of vector control. In 2018, a total of 4,006 nesting traps – black bucket containing water, egg-laying medium and larvicide – were thus distributed in metropolitan France.
Since 2014, this active surveillance has been supplemented by “passive” entomological surveillance which allows the entire population to report the presence of the tiger mosquito on the site. Mosquito report. When a report comes from an area hitherto not colonized by the mosquito, the validation of the report can lead to supplementing the observations of the active entomological monitoring system, by installing nesting traps in this new area.
Vector control (LAV): it aims to reduce or interrupt the proliferation of mosquitoes vectors of pathogens by eliminating breeding sites and adult mosquitoes in order to reduce the risk of spreading viruses (and the number of patients). When a case of arbovirosis is declared to the authorities, appropriate vector control actions are implemented by the authorities according to the results of the surveillance. Vector control is the responsibility of the Regional Health Agencies (ARS).
How do I know if I have been bitten by a tiger mosquito?
The itching sensation is felt quickly and intensifies for several minutes following the bite. It usually causes a pimple resembling a somewhat flat blister, like a blister, 5 millimeters to 2 centimeters in diameter, a little lighter than the color of the skin, circular, with a red halo that can widen depending on the reaction some people’s skin. The pimple is usually hard, hot and painful.
The bite of the tiger mosquito scratches almost instantly, then the itching disappears. They can nevertheless reappear for several days in the event of a change in temperature (following a shower for example).
How to protect yourself from mosquito bites?
- wear long, loose and light-colored clothing;
- use skin repellents following the precautions for use indicated. For more information, ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice;
- use mosquito nets.
> Download our infographic “Tiger mosquito: we all have a role to play!” (PDF)
