Thursday, September 29, 2011

The tigers of the Vega Baja

Three years ago, the Asian tiger mosquito arrived in Torrevieja to cause misery  with its painful bite. In October 2009,  heavy rain followed by hot sunshine provided the ideal breeding conditions for this invasive species. The small pools of standing water left behind by the rain were all that the insect needed to breed in. In one day, 200 people were treated at Torrevieja hospital when the hungry females gathered blood to extract the proteins needed for the production of their eggs.

This year has been quiet in terms of outbreaks but still he insects are there and so the company that sprays the area have set traps to collect the mosquitoes so that they can study them closely in the hope that they can find a means to eradicate the problem. I hope they are successful, if I have to give blood, I want it to go to a worthy cause.

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