Buzz off! Tiger mosquitoes spreading on Costa del Sol

HUNDREDS of people have been bitten by tiger mosquitoes in Malaga City.

Houses and urbanisations surrounding the Guadalhorce River have been plagued by the potentially deadly species of mosquito for some time but now the blood-sucking pest is spreading to areas further afield.

Health centres in the city have treated hundreds of patients for bites from, what locals are referring to as, the “invisible” mosquito.

The hot summer has enabled them to extend their habitat, moving from riverside areas to gardens across the city.

Zoology experts at the University of Malaga (UMA) state that the species is slightly smaller than the standard mosquito and a lot more agile which can make them difficult to see.

The bite causes large swollen hives with a profound itch which are generally much worse than an average mosquito.

Antihistamine and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed by doctors to sooth the itching and irritation.

More severe cases sometimes require cortisone and some extreme cases have been known to require antibiotics due to infection.

A mobile application called Mosquito Alert enables the sharing of photos and locations of the biting menaces such as the tiger mosquito or the yellow fever mosquito.

The application is coordinated by different public research centres in an effort to combat the spread of invasive species that can transmit global diseases.

Data gathered is then used to aid scientific research which helps monitor and control the expansion of such species.