Warning for Irish holidaymakers as Canary Islands find dangerous Tiger Mosquitos in tourist area

Holidaymakers and locals alike in the Canary Islands are to be wary of the Tiger Mosquito.

The distinctive looking insects, who can be identified by their dark bodies patterned with white stripes, are smaller than common mosquitos, can be dangerous as they are known to be potential carriers of Dengue fever, Yellow Fever, Chikungunya and Zika Virus, according to the Irish Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

The Ministry of Health in the area has activated the Entomological Surveillance System protocol, meaning that they are investigating and monitoring the situation in order to make a risk assessment.

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The blood-sucking bugs, whose proper name is the Aedes aegypti mosquito, were captured at various stages of growth at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

They are reported to have been captured flying in two containers containing olive trees, and there was water available to them in the containers. Larvae and pupae were also found.

According to Canarian Weekly, Santa Cruz port has been under active surveillance since January 2023 when a Tiger Mosquito was first detected.

The bugs are known to typically bite in the early morning or evening and are harder to notice than regular mosquitos as they don’t make a buzzing sound when they fly.

Any areas with water can become breeding grounds for the mozzies, and only the females of the species bite as they need blood to complete their reproductive cycles.

The mosquitos have been detected at the same port before, and Tenerife has been monitored for detecting these mosquitoes since 2013, with hundreds of traps for them placed across the Canaries.

Government advice is mostly applicable to locals, with recommendations to cover pets outdoor water bowls and change the water every day, and avoiding any water accumulation in drains, potted plants, gardens and rainwater collectors.

For holidaymakers, mosquitos are a common complaint.

“Mosquitoes pass on disease when they bite a person to feed on their blood. If they have been recently feeding on an animal or person infected with a virus or parasite, they can pass this on to the next person during feeding. In this way they inject the infection into the person,” explains the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

Using a high strength mosquito repellent spray or cream on your body as part of your daily routine can deter bites.

There are surveillances in Ireland by the HSE to establish the presence or absence of any invasive species such as Aedes albopictus or Aedes aegypti.

Out of 72 inspections carried out across five areas of Dublin Port in 2023 just three samples inspected had mosquitoes present.

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