Animals Floods are followed by a plague of mosquitoes on Lake Constance
Mosquitoes are spreading like wildfire on Lake Constance after the floods. One could already speak of a mosquito plague, said Rainer Bretthauer, the environmental protection officer of the German town of Radolfzell on Lake Constance.
24.06.2024, 09:14
SDA
According to the mosquito expert, the flooding provides the perfect conditions for laying eggs. The result: masses of offspring. So-called flood mosquitoes, which hatch in large numbers after flooding, are particularly aggressive in their hunt for blood, as they need to reproduce quickly before the favorable conditions disappear again.
Flood midges like to lay their eggs on damp ground, often in riparian zones and floodplains. There they can survive in the soil for several years. When the laying sites are flooded and the temperature is favorable, the development from egg to biting mosquito begins. Large-scale flooding can lead to mass hatching.
Birds and fish benefit
Lake Constance tourists and residents should arm themselves, for example by wearing appropriate clothing, said Bretthauer. Loose-fitting, long clothing is recommended. Time also plays a role when spending time outside: "They become biting at dusk when it's over 18 degrees."
According to the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (Nabu), mosquitoes are a good thing for many animals. "All the insects that are now developing are a very important food source for many fish species and also for birds," said Eberhard Klein from Nabu in Constance.
