Scientists warn of potential invasion of new mosquito

Spanish scientists have revealed they have been taken by surprise at the spread of a new breed of mosquito.

THE ‘Aedes japonicus’ was first found in Spain in 2018, but it has multiplied and spread at breakneck speed. Entomologists from the Spanish Ministry of Health have said they have been shocked by the growth and are not sure where they have come from.

The Tiger mosquito, which arrived in Barcelona in 2004, is the most common critter during the summer. It has since spread across the country, plaguing locals and holidaymakers.

The new mosquito is said to be less sociable than the Tiger as it usually prefers pastures with livestock rather than urban spaces. So far it has only been found in Asturias and Cantabria, but the experts have warned that there is a high possibility that it will disseminate wider.

This summer the University of Zaragoza will run a special surveillance study for health chiefs to establish just how far the new mosquito has spread.