Warning following mosquitoes find

Warning following mosquitoes find

20 September 2023

AN Annacloy man has warned about the presence of mosquitoes in the area.

Eamon Braniff says he was shocked to find the insects on a number of occasions this summer.

He was bitten when painting a house and only realised that it was a mosquito when he caught it.

A few weeks later, his wife was bitten by a different species of mosquito in Annacloy.

Hoping to warn others, he told Belfast Live: “I am concerned that the black and white species could be one that spreads disease. I think people need to be aware of them as they both can cause Cellulitus dangerous for people with low immunity.”

He added: “I think people should be advised not to keep stagnant water around their homes as this is where their larvae grow.”

A spokesperson from the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) said: “There are native mosquitoes in Northern Ireland. The recent hot damp weather seems to have been advantageous to them. 

“Most Irish species are bird-biting, but some may bite humans and can be disease vectors, 

although we do not currently have any serious mosquito borne diseases in Northern Ireland.”

The spokesperson added: “AFBI have worked on mosquitoes in the past and currently monitor ports for invasive mosquitoes in the past and currently monitor ports for invasive mosquitoes in order to protect plant, animal, and human health.”