Costa Del Sol will be overrun with tiger mosquitoes when Brits return ‘as lockdown creates perfect breeding conditions’
HOLIDAY hotspot Costa Del Sol could suffer a huge spike in tiger mozzies as a lack of tourists during the coronavius lockdown means less property maintenance.
Officials are bombarding the area with larvicide and insecticide to stop the pesky insects’ population exploding when Brits finally return to the coastal favourite.
Murcia Today reports that town halls have been busy in the streets, spraying tiger mosquito breeding areas ahead of the holiday season.
The website explains that the blood sucking insects are multiplying after heavy rainfall left pools of water.
Properties have remained empty during Spain’s seven-week-long lockdown, as second home-owners have been barred from staying there.
As a result, rainwater has been collecting in shallow containers left lying around outside, while unserviced swimming pools are also creating ideal habitats for the busy mosquitoes.
Pestworld recommends that the most effective way to prevent contact with tiger mosquitoes is to “eliminate areas of standing water around the home, such as pools, flowerpots and birdbaths.
“Homeowners should also screen all windows and doors and keep gutters free flowing.”
After Murcia Today shared information about the spraying programme on Facebook, reader Nan Beveridge replied that, “even with fly screens we’re still getting them inside as well, twice the size of ordinary mosquitoes”.
Phill Hughes posted that he, “got eaten alive last year when we had the bad storms. Literally still got the scars – they were a nightmare; last thing you all need is them to deal with along with covid.”
Michelle Ventura added: “Oh no! Last summer was bad enough – we were out for eight weeks from August till October as we just got the keys to our property, and I honestly looked like I had chickenpox!
“I’ve never had so many bites before.
“If this year is going to be even worse I suppose that’s one reason to be thankful that we can’t travel this year.
“Good luck to all of you out there!”
While some Brits are itching to flee the UK and return to Costa Del Sol, it’s still not clear exactly when Spanish beaches are reopening to tourists.
In April, town halls threatened to rebel against government officials suggesting the tourist industry should remain wound down till next year.
Council leaders urged authorities to let beaches reopen to visitors from mid-June.
In Benidorm, bars, restaurants and cafeterias are set to rebel against the Spanish Government’s coronavirus rule which says only 50 per cent of terraces can reopen to customers.
They believe the British market will not come back until October and say they will have to remain closed if there is no leeway on the restrictions.
Businesses throughout the resort have put up symbolic “Se Traspasa” (“For lease”) signs to demonstrate what will happen as part of a nationwide protest campaign across Spain.
President of the Association of Bars, Restaurants and Cafeterias of Benidorm, Javier del Castillo told the Spanish press: “Either you return to the routine of the past or it will be very difficult for us to move forward because we are an area that works by pulling customers and tourists.”
The good news is that Spain has started to gradually relax its seven-week lockdown.
But, the deadly pandemic has claimed more than 25,000 lives in Spain.
The country’s current state of emergency ends at midnight on Saturday, but this is being extended until May 24, to ensure the government can keep a lid on any future peaks.
Most read in World news
Murcia City Council announced today that its street cleaning service has used “more than a million litres of disinfecting solution during confinement.
“In addition to public spaces, over 110,000 containers have been disinfected during this period.”
An average 29,750 litres of solution is being used per day by 93 operators “to combat the spread of the coronavirus”.