The Asian tiger mosquito has been detected in the city of Würzburg. As the Würzburg district office announced on Wednesday, there are two female tiger mosquitoes and a collection of tiger mosquito eggs.
The mosquito bite itself is usually harmless and, like other mosquito bites, causes itching and swelling, the authority said. Due to the currently low probability of transmission of pathogens, there is no reason to worry if the tiger mosquito bites in Germany. However, the mosquito is considered to be particularly annoying and is also active during the day.
According to the information, it was to be expected that the insect would also spread in the Würzburg region – also favored by the increasingly warm temperatures. There have been a number of finds in recent years. No action was necessary. In order to contain the spread, the most effective protection is to deprive the insect of the opportunity to breed. Open rain barrels, buckets, watering cans, flower pots and saucers should be emptied, cleaned or covered regularly.
The health department for the city and district of Würzburg would like to continue to monitor the situation and, in coordination with the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL), take measures to curb the spread of the tiger mosquito.
The Asian tiger mosquito originates in the tropics, but according to the Friedrich-Löffler-Institut it has been spreading massively in southern Europe and parts of central Europe since the 1990s.