PublishedSeptember 4, 2024, 09:22
Aedes albopictusReport sightings immediately: Asian tiger mosquitoes discovered in the city of Zurich
In August, eggs and tiger mosquitoes were found for the first time since 2019 outside the long-distance bus station at Zurich Main Station. The public is asked to report sightings of the mosquitoes immediately.
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Tiger mosquitoes have been discovered in two neighborhoods of the city of Zurich.
The annoying biting mosquito usually arrives in new areas via coach buses, cars, or trucks.
Sightings or finds of tiger mosquitoes should be reported immediately.
For the first time, eggs of a tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) were found at the long-distance bus station behind Zurich Main Station in the fall of 2016. Since then, the city of Zurich has been monitoring the area with traps and combats the mosquito larvae in surrounding basins when tiger mosquitoes or their eggs are found using a biological agent, according to the city.
Thanks to consistent monitoring and the assistance of the public, the establishment of tiger mosquitoes and their spread to adjacent neighborhoods have been prevented so far.
Findings in the neighborhoods of Industrie and Wipkingen
In August 2024, tiger mosquito eggs were found for the first time in a trap on Hafnerstrasse, and tiger mosquitoes were reported in the neighborhoods of Industrie and Wipkingen. The tiger mosquito enters new areas via coach buses, cars, or trucks. During transit, it bites, sucks blood, and exits the vehicle upon arrival to lay its eggs.
This can be achieved with small containers or beverage cans filled with collected rainwater. The Pest Prevention Office is currently following up on the reports of findings and setting up egg-laying traps. The shafts and basins around the find sites are being treated with a biological larvicide against the larvae of the tiger mosquito.
Public cooperation is important
The population can significantly assist in combating the tiger mosquitoes: “It is important for residents to eliminate possible breeding sites and to catch, photograph, and report black-and-white striped mosquitoes immediately. This way, the occurrence can be detected early and the establishment and spread can be contained,” says Gabi Müller, the head of pest prevention for the city of Zurich.
Tiger mosquitoes are particularly annoying because, unlike native mosquito species, they also bite during the day. Their bites are painful, and they can transmit various diseases. The risk of becoming ill in Switzerland due to a tiger mosquito bite is currently considered low.
Source: Health and Environment Department of the City of Zurich
Ideal breeding sites for tiger mosquitoes are small stagnant water collections, such as those on tarpaulins, in plant saucers, and watering cans. By regularly emptying or renewing the water, the reproduction of tiger mosquitoes is prevented, as they require about a week to develop from egg to adult mosquito. In ponds, flowing waters, or chlorinated pools, invasive biting mosquitoes cannot reproduce.
Report findings immediately
Sightings in the city area can be reported via Zueriwieneu.ch or with the app “Züri wie neu”, while reports from the rest of the canton can be submitted to the Swiss Mosquito Network at Muecken-schweiz.ch.
The Pest Prevention Office of the Environmental and Health Protection Department of the City of Zurich is one of the four official reporting offices for invasive mosquitoes in Switzerland. It receives reports of mosquitoes from throughout the canton of Zurich as well as the cantons of Appenzell Outer Rhodes, Appenzell Inner Rhodes, St. Gallen, Schaffhausen, Thurgau, and Zug.
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