Not only mosquitoes dancing on our noses this summer are particularly unpleasant! Because now exotic forest mosquitoes buzz through the air, which can even transmit tropical diseases.
As early as 2011 “Gelsenvater” Dr. Bernhard Seidel was the first invasive species to track down the first Asian forest mosquitoes. Namely in Southwest Styria. “The Japanese rock arctic mosquito – as it is also known – has spread rapidly across Austria.
I was able to discover the highest breeding ground in Zederhaus in Salzburg at 1196 meters above sea level. They just do not occur directly on waters such as the Wörthersee, Attersee or in the floodplains of the Danube,” says the researcher.
Even the smallest accumulations of water are sufficient as a habitat
His bad news: The “bio-invaders” (when looking for victims, they buzz through the air at a wing frequency of 600 Hertz) have even chosen the coasters of the hotel’s flower troughs near swimming lakes as the basis for the stinging attack. . They like to lay their eggs there. Even the smallest water deposits in allotments have become potential habitats for cultivators.
According to Seidel, they all have one thing in common: they beat our “regular mosquitoes” by far in the competition for nesting sites, food and wintering!
Tiger mosquito can transmit various diseases
Of particular note is the Asian tiger mosquito, which Bill Gates calls “the deadliest animal in the world.” This is because it carries up to 20 different pathogens, including dengue fever and Zika viruses. It is spreading due to the record heat. An incredibly large population has now been reported in Germany. In order to infect a person, it must first have bitten an infected person. Just a matter of time…
Wasps are in high season
“We have hundreds of species of this species – but most of them only know the wasps, which are experienced as annoying. It is they who go straight for our cake,” says Dagmar Breschar of the local conservation association, who nevertheless emphasizes that these animals are also have their special value and usefulness in the sensitive ecological structure. If food has to be brought in for posterity, then animal protein is also needed. And that’s in flies, mosquitoes, caterpillars, lice and moths.
The fact that we are dealing with a wasp invasion this year is due to the warm spring with ideal growing conditions. And because the “ice saints” were also mild in mid-May, the queens escaped frostbite.
Flowers hardly give nectar due to drought
The chairman of the environmental umbrella, Gerald Pfiffinger, explains the particularly aggressive nature of the wasps by saying that the flowers of the plants hardly gave any more nectar because of the drought. Therefore, to feed their larvae, the wasps pounce on anything sweet or high in calories. Pfiffinger’s advice: “If you don’t want to get stung, keep calm, even if it’s hard. Swinging around just annoys the black and yellow guys.”
But there are also peaceful fellows – namely the Saxon wasps, who ignore sweets and prefer to grate wood. However, because they build their nests freely and clearly visible, these are often destroyed.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
