First flooding, now a plague of mosquitoes: mosquitoes are currently spreading explosively on Lake Constance. Among them are particularly aggressive specimens.
According to one expert, after the floods and the humid weather in southern Germany, mosquitoes are currently having an easy time. At Lake Constance, one could already speak of a plague of mosquitoes, said Rainer Bretthauer. According to the environmental and climate protection officer for the city of Radolfzell on Lake Constance, the floods provide perfect conditions for egg-laying. The result: mass offspring.
Tourists and residents of Lake Constance should prepare themselves, for example by wearing appropriate clothing, said the expert. Loose-fitting, long clothing is recommended. The time of day also plays a role when spending time outside: “During dusk, when the temperature is above 18 degrees, they become biting.” According to the Nature Conservation Association (NABU), mosquitoes are a good thing for many animals. “All the insects that are developing now are a very important source of food for many species of fish and also for birds,” said Eberhard Klein from NABU in Konstanz.
There are around 50 species of mosquito known in Germany. Some of these are so-called flood mosquitoes, which hatch in greater numbers after floods. According to experts, the small insects are particularly persistent in their blood-hunting, as they have to reproduce quickly before the favorable conditions disappear again.
Flood mosquitoes like to lay their eggs on moist soil, often in river banks and floodplains. They can survive in the soil there for several years. When the laying sites are flooded and the temperature is right, the egg begins to develop into a biting mosquito. In the event of large-scale flooding, mass hatching can occur.