n featuresmosquito Aedes aegypti dengue virus carrier can be distinguishedof shape and color patternhis. By knowing the characteristics of mosquitoes Aedes aegypti, You can recognize it easily and start to be alert if you find a lot of this type of mosquito flying in the environment around your house.
Mosquito Aedes aegypti is a type of mosquito that carries the dengue virus that causes dengue fever. Uniquely, only mosquitoes Aedes aegypti The female spreads the virus, while the male mosquito does not. In addition to the dengue virus, mosquitoes Aedes aegypti also carry the zika virus, chikungunya, and yellow fever.
Mosquito Aedes aegypti thought to have come from the African continent. The spread of the virus by mosquitoes Aedes aegypti It is very easy to happen in tropical countries, such as Indonesia, especially when entering the rainy season. This is because high rainfall makes environmental conditions very supportive for mosquitoes to breed and continue their life cycle.
Characteristics of the Aedes Aegypti Mosquito
There are several characteristics of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, namely:
Mosquito body size and color
Mosquito Aedes aegypti easily recognizable by color and shape. The hallmark of this mosquito is its small size and has a black body with white stripes all over its body. Mosquito Aedes aegypti can fly as far as 400 meters, so the spread of the dengue virus can occur up to long distances from where mosquitoes nest.
Nice to be in clean water
Mosquito Aedes aegypti nest and lay eggs in clear pools of water. Inside the house, these mosquitoes are often found breeding in water reservoirs, such as bathtubs, flower vases, gutters, or pet drinking places.
These mosquitoes can also hide in low light corners of the house, such as under beds or behind closets. Outdoors, these mosquitoes nest and breed in tree trunks or holes.
Active in the morning and evening
Another characteristic of mosquitoes Aedes aegypti is the bite time. These mosquitoes are actively looking for prey and bite humans in the morning (about 2 hours after sunrise) and in the afternoon (a few hours before sunset). However, it is not impossible that mosquitoes Aedes aegypti bite at night.
Mosquito bite Aedes aegypti sometimes even unnoticed, because these mosquitoes usually approach from behind the body and bite at the elbows or ankles.
Preventing the Aedes Aegypti Mosquito Reproduction
The right way to prevent dengue or the development of mosquitoes Aedes aegypti is to apply 3M, namely:
- Close the water storage area tightly.
- Drain the water reservoir regularly, at least once a week.
- Bury or recycle used items that can cause stagnant water.
In addition, you also need to take additional precautions to prevent the spread of the virus through mosquitoes, including by:
- Install mosquito nets on windows and doors.
- Spread larvicide powder in water reservoirs.
- Plant mosquito repellent plants.
- Use mosquito nets while sleeping.
- Keeping fish that eat mosquito larvae.
In addition to doing the various methods above, you can also use mosquito repellent lotion or use insect repellent in the form of spray, mosquito coils, and electricity. However, use of insect repellent should be done with caution if there are infants, children, or people with asthma in the house.
Another way to get rid of mosquitoes Aedes aegypti is to do fogging or fumigation. However, usually fogging This will only be done if there are reports of an increase in dengue fever cases in your area of residence.
Dengue fever can now also be prevented by administering the DHF vaccine, although there has been no research that has proven that the DHF vaccine is more effective than other DHF prevention measures, such as fogging and 3M.
So, keep taking the main dengue prevention steps, namely by keeping the house and environment clean, so they don't become nesting places for mosquitoes. Aedes aegypti.