2023-08-10 17:58:29
She doesn’t sting, she bites. This is one of the specificities of the black fly, a new invasive species that worries the Spanish authorities. The National Association of Environmental Health Societies (Anecpla), in Spain, announced on August 5 that the population of black flies had exploded in recent years and warned of its bite risks.
The black fly, or simulium fly, a few millimeters long, is closer to a mosquito than a fly because it bites humans to drink their blood. An essential drink for the female, who needs the blood to develop her eggs.
What to do if you are stung?
After the bite of a black fly, a bump of several centimeters appears with a little blood. Do not scratch, to avoid infecting the wound, and think about disinfecting it. Do not panic, the black fly does not transmit disease in Europe but the bite can cause intense pain and fever for several days, if there is an allergic reaction to the animal’s saliva.
In this case, the bump may remain for a few days. To soothe it, Anecpla recommends putting on ice and applying a corticosteroid ointment before going to see a doctor.
The best thing is still to avoid getting bitten. For this, Anecpla recommends avoiding waterways, especially at the end of the afternoon, not wearing brightly colored clothes and avoiding keeping stagnant water outside the houses in order to not to attract these insects.
The Spanish authorities are concerned
In Spain, the insect has proliferated massively in recent years, alerted Anecpla. The areas concerned are concentrated in the east of the country, in the regions of Rioja, Murcia, Valencia and Madrid and near the French border, in Aragon and Catalonia. The species is already present in France but in much lower proportions, so the risk is low of being bitten on metropolitan territory.
Global warming would be the main cause of the invasion of this species. Warmer temperatures, throughout the year, with a longer summer season, increase the reproduction of these insects, favoring their development.
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