In Maisons Alfort, the dangers of tiger mosquito control

Céline Pernot-Berlet learned a lot on Monday, September 25th. Lots of detail about the Tiger Mosquito, but also the basics of military action. The 49-year-old painter was alarmed when she discovered, the day before, that a powerful insecticide would be sprayed near her home, on several streets in Maisons-Alfort (Val-de-Marne).

The regional health agency in Ile-de-France decided on the operation, in implementation of the protocol that is activated when cases of dengue, Zika or chikungunya are detected. This includes killing tiger mosquitoes that transmit these diseases, which fall within the category of arboviruses. The insect has colonized 71 departments in mainland France since its appearance in Menton (Alpes-Maritimes) in 2004.

Out of the question for M^I Pernot-Burlet for allowing the hedgehogs and little policemen frolicking in his garden to be endangered. “People have little knowledge, she insisted on Monday. Insecticides are a short-term solution that will harm other species. » To make the noise as visible as possible: messages on Facebook, on LinkedIn, a barrage of phone calls. Will be migrated soon to X (formerly Twitter) By the local group Europe Ecologie-Les Verts And Written by European Parliament ecologist Benoît Pitot.

The result of this rapid mobilization was a modest gathering of about ten people, who gathered on Monday just before midnight, a few minutes before the operation began. Protesters are scanning the surroundings for the Regional Mosquito Control Agency (ARD) truck, when a surprise guest appears: George Jakirian, director of operations at this private company commissioned by ARS.

“I saw the announcement of the rally in a tweet.” He explains. Some of his colleagues encountered difficulties in their work, as happened in Saintes (Charente-Maritime), at the beginning of September, where A similar operation was blocked by a handful of opponents -And George Jakirian takes the lead. There he is busy chatting, along a stretch of sidewalk barely lit by a couple of streetlights and a few bicycles.

The importance of public awareness

The first line reaction against the tiger mosquito is “Physical struggle as shelters dry up”He explains that there is only one insecticide ” the final destination “. What does he spray? Aqua K-Otherin, a product of Bayer, the active ingredient in which – deltamethrin – is a chemical compound from the pyrethroid family. In urban areas, the operations manager makes sure to reduce the dosage provided by the manufacturer. But Marne is very close, someone is protesting. “Never apply within 50 meters of a watercourse.”He is told.

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