HOW DID IT GET TO MALLORCA?
The Tiger Mosquito has its origin in Southeast Asia, from where it traveled to the U.S. in 1985 possibly for the international trade in used tires. Tires are a perfect vehicle for the tiger mosquito, since they easily accumulate small amounts of water, but are very difficult to empty. Their black color causes the water to rise in temperature, so that the larvae find more food and can grow quickly. Using the same method of transport he arrived in Italy in 1991, from where he is believed to have travelled to Sant Cugat del Vallés in 2004, where on August 9th he was first identified in Spain. This first identification carried out by the Servei de Control de Mosquits del Baix Llobregat was made thanks to several complaints in Sant Cugat del Vallés about black fly bites.
Since this first identification the Ae. albopictus has spread to many municipalities in Catalonia, Valencia and Murcia, until 19 September 2012 when it was identified in Mallorca by the Laboratory of Zoology and Emerging Diseases of the University of the Balearic Islands.
The initial distribution of this mosquito included the municipalities of Esporles, Marratxí, Bunyola and Palma de Mallorca, to which Calviá was added in 2013. This mosquito will continue to spread to other municipalities in Mallorca as forecasts indicate and as has occurred in other parts of Spain.
