Tiger mosquitoes spotted in seven Belgian municipalities
Tiger mosquitoes have been spotted in seven Belgian municipalities this season, according to a report by Sciensano and the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) on Monday. In several of these municipalities, the tiger mosquito has also survived the winter.
Sciensano is mapping the presence of tiger mosquitoes through field inspections and the MuggenSurveillance citizen reporting centre. Although monitoring will continue until the end of October, seven locations have already been recorded for 2025.
New to the list is the Brussels municipality of Etterbeek. The exotic species had already been spotted previously in other municipalities, including Hoegaarden, Merelbeke-Melle, Kessel-Lo and Ath.
Tiger mosquitoes are an invasive insect species that can transmit viruses such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika. This is why the two institutions are trying to map them as accurately as possible.
Overwintering
An increasing number of these mosquitoes are managing to overwinter in Belgium, meaning they remain present in these municipalities all year round. In Saint-Josse-ten-Noode and Wijnegem, they have been present all year round for the first time.
"Understanding their overwintering behaviour is crucial for risk assessment and adapting control strategies"
The tiger mosquito had already overwintered in seven other municipalities, including Hoegaarden, Wilrijk, Athand Lebbeke. "Understanding their overwintering behaviour is crucial for risk assessment and adapting control strategies against this invasive species," said Sciensano.
Citizen science
In collaboration with the Flemish Agency for Nature and Forests, ITM and Sciensano are intensifying their efforts to combat the tiger mosquito in August and September. They are enlisting the help of the pest control company Rentokil.
To gain insight into the size of the tiger mosquito population in Belgium, institutions are appealing to the public to report any sightings.
"The tiger mosquito season is not over yet, and we are counting on the public to continue supporting our efforts," said Javiera Rebolledo Tomero, an epidemiologist at Sciensano.
© PHOTO CHRISTOPHE GEYRES/ABACAPRESS.COM
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