Laurence Dollimore
UP to a billion mosquito and tiger mosquito eggs could start hatching on Spain’s Costa Blanca this weekend.
It comes after the worst flooding in 140 years has left scores of muddy lagoons, the perfect breeding ground for the blood-sucking pests.
According to Spanish press, emergency crews on the Costa Calida are working round-the-clock to stop mosquito larvae hatching in the sodden fields.
Meanwhile, Alicante and Elche town halls are fumigating huge swathes of countryside to stop a repeat of August’s plague.
Tiger mosquitoes usually swarm in large numbers and are described by experts as being extremely aggressive.
They are also known to spread dangerous diseases, including Dengue Fever and the Zika virus.
The savage pests attack mostly at night and feed during the day.
Their behaviour is also different from that of the common mosquito, since they do not usually perch on the walls of houses, they have a faster and more agile flight, which makes them more difficult to kill.
They usually fly stealthily low, at the height of a human’s legs, making them harder to detect.
Native to Southeast Asia, they are known to spread many dangerous diseases there, including the deadly Dengue Fever and Zika virus.
