The Tiger Mosquito in the Garden: How to Get Rid of It?

Who really is this tiger mosquito?

Native to Southeast Asia, the tiger mosquito, scientifically known as Aedes albopictus, has colonised numerous regions of the world within just a few decades. Its arrival in mainland France dates back to 2004, first in the south, then increasingly further north, taking advantage of climate warming and urbanisation. Recognisable by its black body striped with white, this mosquito is now firmly established in nearly 70 French departments. It must be said that it possesses all the “qualities” to invade our gardens: opportunistic, ubiquitous, polyphagous, euryoecious (adaptable to all ecological conditions), exophilic, anthropophilic… in short, a true invader in every sense of the word.

Aggressive behaviour in this mosquito

Unlike our native mosquitoes, the tiger mosquito is diurnal. It bites mainly in the morning and late afternoon, complicating conventional protective measures. Its flight is silent, its behaviour discreet, and its aggressiveness formidable. Only the female bites, but she does so repeatedly and proves particularly persistent. Indeed, the blood she draws when biting is essential for the development of her eggs.

Generally smaller than other native mosquitoes, the tiger mosquito measures on average 5 mm. Suffice to say, it’s difficult to spot. Especially since it doesn’t produce the characteristic ZZZZZ sound of other species. If you have sharp eyes, you may still distinguish the five white stripes on its legs and a white line on its thorax and head. These white markings are actually due to the presence of scales.

A life cycle adapted to our gardens

The tiger mosquito’s rapid and highly efficient life cycle largely explains its proliferation. A female can lay up to 200 eggs per cycle, depositing them in dried-out containers, natural or artificial, but capable of holding water. These breeding sites are called larval habitats. The eggs, microscopic, black, and rather sticky, can withstand desiccation for several months, resistant to both cold and heat, hatching as soon as conditions become favourable.

The tiger mosquito goes through four larval stages, which depend on water temperature, available food, and larval density. Then the pupae, which no longer feed, develop in less than ten days, giving rise to a new adult generation ready to restart the cycle.

This new generation takes flight immediately. But it rarely strays more than 150 m from its birthplace. Mating occurs in flight, and very quickly, the female requires blood. Polyphagous, she targets humans as well as mammals, amphibians, reptiles, or birds.

What are the impacts of the tiger mosquito on our health and our garden?

From the garden to public health, the tiger mosquito is disruptive. It is quickly considered a daily nuisance. But beyond these inconveniences, the tiger mosquito can prove to be much more dangerous.

Disruption of outdoor activities

The establishment of the tiger mosquito in our gardens goes far beyond mere discomfort. It profoundly alters the way we experience our outdoor spaces. In heavily affected regions, gardening, dining al fresco or enjoying a summer evening becomes difficult. This sense of discomfort, often underestimated, leads many homeowners to neglect their gardens or even limit their time spent outdoors, directly impacting quality of life.

Some people, more sensitive than others to mosquito bites (I belong to this category!), experience a real ordeal. A simple outdoor outing results in bites, swelling, redness, allergic reactions and untimely itching.

Impact on biodiversity

The occasional but increased use of insecticidal products to control tiger mosquitoes, including by local authorities, can have harmful effects on other beneficial insects, which are not targeted, particularly pollinators such as bees and butterflies, already under stress.

Moreover, the tiger mosquito can also compete with other native mosquito species, disrupting local ecological balances.

A disease vector

But it’s primarily the health risk that concerns authorities. The tiger mosquito is recognised as a vector for around twenty tropical viral diseases, including dengue, chikungunya, Zika and even the Usutu virus.

Female tiger mosquito engorged with blood

In France, cases of local transmission have already been observed several times during summer. The mosquito can bite a person carrying a virus who has travelled to an at-risk country, then transmit this virus to others within days. Although these episodes remain sporadic for now, the likelihood of local epidemics increases as the climate warms. The tiger mosquito thus becomes a public health issue, closely monitored by health authorities.

Yet its presence largely depends on public vigilance, as larval breeding sites are often located in private gardens.

How to eradicate the tiger mosquito?

Combating the tiger mosquito requires a multidimensional approach, combining preventive and curative methods, involving both individuals and communities. However, garden-level control is essential. Several fairly simple strategies can be implemented.

Rigorous elimination of stagnant water

The female tiger mosquito lays her eggs in minimal volumes of water, sometimes practically non-existent. And her eggs can remain there for weeks, even months, waiting for the best conditions to hatch. Therefore, preventive action must be taken to remove stagnant water that could become breeding sites:

• Empty daily the saucers under flower pots, vases, watering cans, buckets, children’s toys, used tyres, and any other containers that can hold rainwater or irrigation water.
• Clean gutters, drains, and gullies regularly to prevent water accumulation.
• Cover rainwater harvesters tightly with fine mosquito nets or fitted lids.
• Turn over children’s paddling pools, wheelbarrows, garden furniture, and other hollow objects that can hold water when not in use.
• Maintain your swimming pool carefully, even in winter.
• Fill tree hollows with sand.
• Ensure ornamental ponds are equipped with filtration systems or water jets to prevent stagnant water.
• In heavily infested areas, avoid planting Bromeliads, which naturally retain water in the hollows of their leaves.

In summary, you must empty, cover, turn over, or remove any container likely to hold water in the garden, on the terrace, or balcony.

The systematic removal of stagnant water in the garden is the best way to combat the tiger mosquito

Environmentally friendly organic solutions

In terms of organic pest control, the introduction of natural predators is essential. This applies to eradicating the tiger mosquito.

• Introduce larvivorous fish, such as ide or golden orfe, into ponds, pools, and lakes. These fish feed on mosquito larvae.
• Install bat boxes to attract these highly effective predators, or specific nests to attract swallows and swifts, insatiable mosquito eaters. I also invite you to read Ingrid’s article: How to make a bat box? and Olivier’s article Garden birds: swallows
• Encourage dragonflies in your garden. These insects are formidable predators of adult mosquitoes. Olivier explains everything in this article: Dragonflies and damselflies: what is their role in the garden?

Using organic insecticides

When stagnant water cannot be eliminated, for example in ponds, drains, cisterns…, an organic treatment based on Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) can be considered. This natural larvicidal bacterium, harmless to other species and aquatic organisms, targets only mosquito larvae. Its use is occasional but very useful for permanent water bodies. It is essential to strictly follow the manufacturers’ recommendations.

Planting repellent plants

You can create a repellent barrier with plants known for their mosquito-repelling properties. So, don’t hesitate to plant lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), lemon basil, lemon balm, lavender, rose-scented geranium, lemon thyme… The effects of these plants can be combined with those of essential oils from the same species, scattered around outdoor living areas.

However, these plants alone are not enough against the tiger mosquito. Their effect is short-lived and localised.

Innovative or simple solutions

Manufacturers are developing anti-mosquito traps, targeted at females, which prove quite effective. But they are still very expensive.

On the other hand, the use of outdoor fans is surprisingly effective. The tiger mosquito, not very robust and light, and above all with limited flying abilities, struggles against a constant airflow. This simple device, often used in tropical areas, becomes an interesting supplementary solution in the most affected regions.

Similarly, installing mosquito nets, fine shade sails, or protected pergolas can create comfortable zones in the garden.