methods for controlling or eradicating Asian tiger mosquitoes
Fighting the Asian Tiger Mosquito: Kehl Leads the Way in Collaborative Efforts
The Upper Rhine region, including the Baden town of Kehl, is grappling with an increasing infestation of the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) since 2022. To combat this problem, municipalities are relying on the collective efforts of the KABS (Kommunale Aktionsgemeinschaft zur Bekämpfung der Schnakenplage), a non-profit association dedicated to ecologically compatible mosquito control in the area.
The KABS, a coalition of communities from Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg, and Hesse, is working closely with local health authorities to curb the nuisance caused by the Asian tiger mosquito and prevent disease transmission. Their strategies involve the application of ecological and biologically based mosquito control techniques, ongoing research to improve and modernize mosquito management approaches, and a focus on floodwater mosquito control to enhance the quality of life for over 2.7 million residents in the Upper Rhine Valley.
In Kehl, the strategy is shifting towards informing, advising, and motivating residents to independently eliminate breeding possibilities. For the 2025 season, an area of more than 350 hectares near hospitals or nursing homes will be treated with the biological active ingredient Bti for 14 days, costing an estimated quarter of a million euros.
However, comprehensive eradication of the Asian tiger mosquito is no longer considered realistic. The KABS urges the development of concepts with stronger involvement of citizens to combat the tiger mosquito, as new introductions can occur during the summer from neighboring municipalities or abroad.
Dirk Reichle, the scientific director of Kabs, has commented to the German Press Agency that the Asian tiger mosquito is expected to continue settling in climatically favorable regions of Germany in the context of climate change, which means more personnel and higher costs for the municipalities.
Despite these challenges, Kehl's strategy could serve as a model for other municipalities in the region, demonstrating the importance of collective, ecologically friendly, and scientifically guided measures in managing both cost challenges and effective control of the Asian tiger mosquito.
[1] Source: KABS press release, www.kabs-moskitobekae.de
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