Annual tiger mosquito alert

You could be breeding potentially dangerous mosquitoes in your own garden without even realising it.

A dog’s water bowl, a child’s toy, a forgotten bucket or even a flowerpot containing a tiny amount of stagnant water can provide exactly what the Asian Tiger mosquito needs to reproduce.

The Asian Tiger mosquito is smaller than most mosquitoes and has a very distinctive white band across its back. Officially known as Aedes albopictus, it has for some years been setting up home in our international community on the Costa del Sol.

This is not good as a bite from one of these mosquitoes can leave more than a red bump and itchy skin. Originally from Southeast Asia, the females can potentially transmit serious diseases including dengue, Zika and Chikungunya.

The problem is taken seriously. In 2026 the Junta de Andalucía has strengthened its surveillance of the Asian Tiger mosquito, including monitoring for these diseases.

The first and most important rule is to ensure there is no still or stagnant water available for them to lay their eggs.

This includes baby pools, flowerpots, birdbaths, dog water bowls, bottles, buckets, vases, toys, rubbish bins and even tyres.  Swimming pools, particularly half-empty pools, wells, cisterns and other water containers should be covered and drains and gutters checked.

Dog water bowls should be changed and cleaned frequently and children’s toys checked to keep everything fresh or dry.

Most bites will simply be another itchy red bump, but if you develop headaches, fever, abnormal swelling or nausea, please do visit a doctor.

The Government is taking this issue seriously; so should we.  Keeping stagnant water to a minimum is something we can all do to help keep this potentially dangerous invader at bay.