Assen remains a hotspot for Asian tiger mosquito in the Northern Netherlands

The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has taken action against the Asian tiger mosquito at 27 locations this season. In the Northern Netherlands, Assen is the only place where a so-called ‘post-treatment’ was carried out to kill the larvae and pupae of the insect.

The location in the provincial capital that the NVWA visited is a well-known address for Asian tiger mosquitoes. It concerns a tire company, where the exotic mosquito kept appearing over the previous eleven years. In addition to the company, the immediate environment was also included in the NVWA’s follow-up treatment. A total of 514 addresses fell within a zone of 500 meters from the company.

The Asian tiger mosquito can transmit more than twenty viral diseases, including dengue fever and Zika, and is therefore controlled. The insects originally hitchhiked from Asia to the Netherlands in car tires and in certain bamboo plants. Nowadays there are also many tiger mosquitoes in Mediterranean regions. They come to the Netherlands in cars, caravans and campers of holidaymakers.

Last year there were reports of the Asian tiger mosquito at 37 locations in our country, twice as many as a year earlier. More than half of those locations (22) were residential areas. The 27 locations where the tiger mosquito was ultimately controlled this season is a record number.

During such post-treatment, as happened in Assen, NVWA inspectors work with pest controllers to look for possible breeding sites of the Asian tiger mosquito. “Consider, sometimes only small amounts, of water in watering cans, saucers and rain barrels. But also in waste such as cans, bottles or containers,” says a spokesperson for the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority.

“Possible breeding sites are first checked for mosquito larvae. These larvae are collected and sent to the laboratory in Wageningen for identification. The water is then removed where possible. Where this is not possible, the pest controller uses a product that only kills the mosquito larvae. .” Mosquito traps will also be placed to continue to monitor the presence of the tiger mosquito in the coming months.

Because the limit of the control capacity has almost been reached, the NVWA is seeking help from citizens and municipalities. “We do a lot of citizen communication to create more awareness and alertness in recognizing the tiger mosquito,” the spokesperson said. “And discussions are ongoing with some municipalities about additional efforts regarding monitoring and control.”

According to the NVWA, the exotic mosquitoes have not yet established themselves in the Netherlands, as the service immediately combats the mosquitoes after each report. According to the authority, people can help themselves by not leaving containers or pots with a layer of stagnant water, because these are ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. “The chance of a serious illness after a tiger mosquito bite is currently small in the Netherlands, but that could change if the exotic species establishes itself here,” the NVWA said.