For the first time, tiger mosquito eggs appeared in Zurich in the fall of 2016 at the long-distance bus station. Since then, the city of Zurich has been monitoring the area with traps and combating mosquito larvae in the surrounding sites when tiger mosquitoes or their eggs are found using a biological agent.
Thanks to consistent monitoring and the assistance of the population, the establishment of the tiger mosquito and its spread to neighboring districts has so far been prevented, according to the city.
However, this has now changed. Apparently, the annoying mosquitoes, which also bite during the day, are spreading. In August, for the first time since 2019, tiger mosquito eggs and the first specimens of tiger mosquitoes were found outside the long-distance bus station, the city wrote in a media release on Wednesday. The eggs were discovered in a trap on Hafnerstrasse in District 5, and the mosquitoes were found in the neighborhoods of Industrie and Wipkingen.
Report Sightings
If you see a black-and-white striped mosquito, you should report it immediately—via the website or the app “Züri wie neu”. Possible breeding sites should be eliminated, and mosquitoes should be captured, photographed, and reported. This way, the occurrence can be detected early, and the establishment and spread can be contained, quotes Gabi Müller, the head of pest prevention for the city of Zurich, in the media release.
Ideal breeding sites for tiger mosquitoes are small standing water collections, such as on tarps, in plant saucers, and watering cans, it further states. Regularly emptying or renewing the water can prevent the reproduction of tiger mosquitoes, as they take about a week to develop from egg to adult mosquito. According to the media release, invasive biting mosquitoes cannot reproduce in ponds, flowing waters, or chlorinated pools.
Tiger mosquitoes are particularly bothersome because, unlike native mosquito species, they also bite during the day. Their bites are painful, and they can transmit various diseases. However, the risk of becoming ill in Switzerland from a tiger mosquito bite is currently considered low.