Even in the most remote corners and after as many as a decade of drought, they are waiting for this one opportunity – now presented to them by the shallow remnant floodplains of the once-in-a-century flood: autumn jellies are currently emerging in large numbers from egg trays and are by nature only intended for one person: quickly finding a blood donor.
They are ready to go at any time, well-tempered water is sufficient even in autumn – and now the time has come: because so-called flood gels have already passed the embryonic stage in their egg, when they come into contact with moisture happens quickly: the larva out and take off as quickly as possible. In fact, the clutches left behind by their parents in areas once inundated by floods can remain dust-dry for up to a decade. And the pools of water from the recent flood disaster in Lower Austria are now waking up the leeches to “fly out” again, even in the most remote areas.
March Gelsen guards began a defensive flight with a helicopter
On the March, where the annoying insects are closely monitored, a helicopter was recently dispatched with the BTI control agent, as Katharina Wessely from the association “Biological Gelsenkampf March-Thaya-Auen” reports. Because in regions that are often only a few centimeters under water, one sunny day is enough to exceed the ‘hatch threshold’ of 8.5 degrees, according to Wessely.
Not carriers of diseases, but more annoying than all the others
Bernhard Seidl also confirms that these “buzzing late bloomers” are particularly annoying: “They are also intensely looking for blood proteins to reproduce during the day,” explains the “mosquito doyen”. In addition to the March, he also mentions the Tullnerfeld plus regions east of Vienna and parts of the Mostviertel as severely affected areas. Here’s how you can take advantage of the situation: These are not much more dangerous tiger mosquitoes, their late claws do not survive the winter and quickly die off again faster than their spring counterparts…
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
