The 'deadliest animal on the planet' takes over Spain this summer
Believe it or not, mosquitoes kill more than 750,000 people each and every year
This year’s mosquito season is unfortunately shaping up to be a particularly rough one in Spain, with experts warning that heavy spring rains have created perfect breeding conditions for the irritating insects. Not only that, but climate change is letting mozzies thrive for longer every year.
Jorge Galván, head of the National Association of Environmental Health Companies, recently pointed out that "the mosquito is the most lethal animal on the planet. It causes around 725,000 deaths annually, mainly due to its role as a vector of diseases such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya and the West Nile virus."
"The risk is real, and increasingly close in our country," he said, adding that last year the West Nile virus killed a dozen people in Andalucía alone.
"This year, with the excess humidity caused by the countless spring rains, a surge in cases is expected if strong preventive measures are not taken," he predicted.
So 2025’s mosquito infestation isn’t just irritating and itchy, it’s potentially deadly.
As if the native common mosquito wasn’t bad enough, Spain is now home to three other invasive species. The dreaded tiger mosquito, distinctive for its black and white stripes, has spread across the east, south and much of the centre of the country. More flighty than their common cousins, tiger mozzies are happy to feast on us at any time of the day or night and are much smaller, so harder to swat.
The Egyptian mosquito isn’t seen very often anymore but turns up from time to time in the Canary Islands, while the Japanese mosquito has been established in the Cantabrian region since 2018.
The tiger and Egyptian species can carry yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya and Zika. The common mosquito and the Japanese mosquito can transmit West Nile virus.
Europe is already feeling the impact of these prolific breeders, who need little more than a drop of water to produce their spawn. The continent recorded 130 local dengue infections last year, nearly double the figure from 2022. In the Americas, the World Health Organisation counted more than two and a half million suspected cases of dengue by the end of May.
West Nile virus worries Spanish doctors the most because both the virus and its mosquito vector are already endemic here. Most infections show no symptoms. Around one in five people get flu like illness and fewer than one in one hundred develop severe complications such as meningitis or encephalitis.
Climate change is also widening the active season for mosquitoes. As entomologist Roger Eritja explained, we "transport mosquitoes in our commercial activities and leisure trips. We allow them to thrive without rain, as the tiger mosquito breeds larvae in small household containers, such as watering cans or drums."
Last year Andalucía saw its first West Nile case in March, much earlier than usual thanks to the unseasonable warm, damp weather. In general in Spain, mozzies are now showing up in spring and hanging around well into the winter months.
Protecting ourselves against mosquito bites
Like so many things, avoiding mozzie bites starts with a few simple steps. Wear long sleeves and trousers in high risk areas, use repellents and sleep with nets or keep the air conditioning on.
Vaccines do exist for dengue, yellow fever and chikungunya, though they are usually reserved for people who live in or travel to hotspots.
Most important of all, tip out standing water from flowerpots, buckets, pet bowls and tarps so mosquitoes have nowhere to breed.
Also of interest: Plague of giant moths invades Spain
Image: Archive
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