Mosqutio warning issued amid potential ‘surge’ in the UK

Experts have said that conditions are now “perfect” for the insects to breed, with standing water and rising temperatures providing an ideal environment for them to thrive.

June’s rainfall, following a particularly dry May, has created just the right conditions in which mosquito eggs can hatch and develop, prompting concerns about a potential rise in bites and the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.

Mosqutio warning issued amid potential ‘surge’ in the UK

Dr Mojca Kristan, assistant professor in medical entomology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), said: “Weather conditions in the UK at the moment are perfect for mosquitoes.

“They like warmth as well as standing water to lay their eggs in.

“May was too dry, but we’ve had rain in June, so there’s water around and, as the weather continues to warm up, I would expect mosquitoes to emerge and start biting to get the blood they need to breed.”

The Met Office said that some areas of the UK recorded a month’s worth of rainfall in the first half of June.

It followed an exceptionally dry spring experienced across southern and eastern England.

The Met Office noted how many areas recorded only around half their normal spring rainfall, with some locations receiving as little as a quarter of the seasonal average.

Recently, the weather has taken a sharp turn, with a heatwave across the UK over the last few days.

Rare red weather warnings were issued for parts of central and southern England, as well as parts of Wales, warning of ‘extreme heat’.

The UK has recently seen temperatures break June records dating back to the infamous summer of 1976.

How to avoid mosquito bites in the UK

Dr Kristan recommended a number of steps people can take to reduce the risk of being bitten.

She said: “To protect yourself from bites, wear insect repellent and cover your skin with long sleeves, plus wear socks in the evening as mosquitoes like biting around ankles.”

She also warned that climate change could increase the risk of invasive mosquito species becoming established in the UK, raising the potential for transmission of diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika.

While Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito) is currently not present in the UK, eggs have been detected here.

Dr Kristan said: “At the moment, there’s a low risk of bites from UK mosquitoes spreading serious illness, but we have to be alert to the threat of new disease-carrying mosquito species as climate change makes Britain a more attractive place for mosquitoes to survive and thrive.”

Aedes aegypti (Egyptian mosquito) is also not currently present in the UK.

However, modelling studies suggest that, by the 2060s, the climate in London and surrounding areas will most likely help the endemic transmission of dengue fever.

Dengue, which is already present in parts of Europe, including the Mediterranean, causes flu-like symptoms, including high temperature, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and muscle and joint pain.

Malaria is not currently endemic in the UK.

Around 2,000 imported cases are recorded annually among travellers returning from high-risk regions.

Have you ever been bitten by a mosquito? Let us know in the comments.