This could be the reason why, despite the autumn, mosquitoes rage in the North of Italy. Korean species: that’s why there are still mosquitoes in Northern Italy.
For those who live in Milan, one of the downsides of summer is the incredible amount of mosquitoes. On public transport, on the upper floors of buildings, in indoor bars and restaurants: escaping the bites and that annoying ringing in the ears seems impossible. On the Navigli or in public parks it’s a real challenge to relax or do some physical activity. Anti-mosquito sprays and mosquito nets are the standard equipment of the Milanese in the summer, who tend to flee the city as soon as the opportunity arises.
September or October at the latest, you can finally breathe a sigh of relief. But many people in the north of Italy have realized that the time has not yet come to give up mosquito nets. It seems, in fact, that the mosquitoes have not yet given up their grip on the North. What’s going on?
What is it and where does it come from exactly the Korean mosquito
A research published in the journal Parasites & Vectors, conducted by the University of Milan, hypothesizes that it is the Korean mosquito, increasingly common also in Lombardy. The first specimen of Aedes Koreicus was spotted in 2011 in Belluno. For the promoters of the research, it is possible that Korean mosquitoes have arrived on board of flights landed in Lombardy at the airport of Bergamo-Orio al Serio.
The experts of the University of Milan have taken into account the results of a survey conducted during the summer of last year between the provinces of Bergamo and Brescia, thanks to which hundreds of mosquito eggs and about 6 thousand larvae were collected from containers, artificial tanks and ponds. Many of the specimens collected belonged to the so-called Korean mosquito, which is thought to be native to the Asian peninsula and in particular to a volcanic island belonging to the Jeju district.
Why the Aedes Koreicus is of concern and how it survives the fall
Sara Epis, associate professor at the Department of Biosciences at the University of Milan “La Statale” and coordinator of the study published in Parasites & Vectors, said the Korean mosquito “has been reported at altitudes and climatic conditions unsuitable for the survival of most mosquito species.”
Since 2011, the date of the first sighting, “reports in northern Italy have increased. We emphasize that this mosquito, unlike the known ‘sisters’ of the genus Aedes, such as the tiger mosquito, tolerates low temperatures very well, so that it has already colonized a large area of hilly-mountainous Veneto and Trentino”.
Unfortunately, technology puts us in the best conditions to fight this little war: for example with anti-mosquito poles. In the future we could even deploy a drone.
Giuseppe Giordano