Massive arrival of tiger mosquitoes in France: how to protect yourself?

Tiger mosquito alert! The majority of French departments are on red alert according to the Vigilance mosquito site. As of May 1, the health authorities launched the alert concerning its proliferation almost everywhere on French territory. The tiger mosquito is already present on the territory, but its presence should be even more important in the coming days because of the rise in temperatures. To develop, mosquito larvae first need humidity, but above all heat. With the summer temperatures expected in the coming days, for example 32 ° C in Bordeaux, “tiger mosquitoes will proliferate”, warns Stéphane Rober.

“A heat wave immediately leads to a phenomenon of multiplication and proliferation”, explains the president of the Vigilance mosquito site. “We normally say that a tiger mosquito takes ten days to transform from larva to adult mosquito if it is 23°C during the day and 15°C at night”, he continues at the microphone of Europe 1. “But there when it’s 30 degrees during the day, it’s more than ten days, it’s six/seven days! It goes much faster”, assures Stéphane Rober.

Icaridin, the best repellent

To deal with the arrival of tiger mosquitoes, it is better to have a good repellent. And they are not all equal, specifies the specialist, according to whom it is better to favor icaridin: “It is the active ingredient which has the best efficacy/safety ratio”, confirms the president of the Vigilance mosquito site.

In addition to the repellent, it is recommended to wear loose clothing covering the arms and legs. In case of symptoms such as fever, it is imperative to consult a doctor.