00 september - 11:00am the rise of mosquitoes in uae · 2019-09-30 · urbanization the abundance...

THE RISE OF

MOSQUITOES IN UAE

00 SEPTEMBER - 11:00AM

Karim Bayoud

Group Trade Manager

Boecker Public Health

The Rise of Mosquito Threats in the UAE

Urbanization

In the last 50 years, the UAE experienced rapid population growth and urbanization.

This is mainly due to the upsurge in:

Tourism

Trade

Shipping

Foreign labor

Urbanization

The abundance of mosquitoes has been significantly affected by the rapid urbanization and landscape modifications that has altered the country’s ecosystem. But the presence of mosquitoes is strictly dependent on climatic factors.

So what changed exactly?


Desert Greening

The greening of the desert has created favorable conditions for mosquitoes to thrive.

Increased landscaping

overwatering

lush vegetation

largely contributed to the availability of more and more larval & adult mosquito

habitats.


Cloud Seeding

Cloud seeding in Dubai has boosted rainfall by 30% in the past year - reaching record levels.

While all-year sunshine is a major attraction for the UAE, more rainfall means, more water for crops that is significantly cheaper than desalination.


Cloud Seeding

However, with the cloud seeding and increased rainfall:

stagnant water will collect near residential buildings and recreational areas

across villas and townhouse communities

creating even more favorable conditions for mosquitoes to thrive.


The Problem

In the past three years, growing concerns about the increasing number of mosquitoes were voiced by residents across Dubai communities.


The Problem

Dubai has the highest villa-dwelling population in UAE.

Villa compounds in Dubai possess an environment conducive to mosquitoes’ larval and adult habitats namely due to lush vegetation and stagnant water.

Older compounds are more optimal to

mosquito habitats as they are more populated and have greeneries that are

far more mature.


THE RESIDENTS VOICES

“Just moved into JVC and am getting absolutely

ravaged by mosquitoes”. (JVC resident, REDDIT

conversation)

“Sat in the garden potting plants, I must

have been bitten

around 20 times. The

wife fell asleep on the

terrace and was bitten

about 8 times on her

face as well. It's hell!

Ever since the cloud

seeding…” (Arabian

Ranches resident)

“My kids come back from the playground in

the afternoons

covered with mosquito

bites. (Nouha, JVT

resident, Gulf News

Article – Feb 2019)

“We have tried everything — pest

control, sprays, citrus

candles and electric

mosquito killers — but

nothing has worked,” (Nouha, JVT resident,

Gulf News Article – Feb

2019)

“It is such a shame to not be able to utilize

the gardens we have in

the community,” (Nouha, JVT resident,

Gulf News Article – Feb

2019)

“My son is almost two years old and loves

being outdoors, but we

are forced to confine

him inside as he is very

sensitive to mosquito

bites” (Bassam, GC resident, Gulf News

Article)

They need to fog all

garden areas every

other day on foot with

hand-held fogging

machines to reduce the

problem” (GC resident)

“I have always loved this community, it’s a little oasis in the desert

— but we have always

had a problem with

mosquitoes, and now it

has got much worse” (Cathy, GC resident)

Mosquito Map 2018

But how are we addressing this growing problem?

Conventional Mosquito Control

EDUCATION &

SOURCE REDUCTION LARVICIDING ADULTICIDING

Education and Source Reduction Removing and Reducing Mosquito breeding habitats

Stagnant water, flower pots, ponds, buckets, cans

and neglected areas in their gardens


Larviciding Used to control mosquito breeding sites since the

80‘s

Contact poisons, growth regulators, surface film,

and stomach poisons

Effective in killing mosquitoes with little impact on

the ecosystem


The Disadvantages of Larviciding Impossible to apply to all pools of stagnant

water

Needs to be applied at an early stage of the

mosquito life cycle to be successful

Only kills mosquitoes in larval stages 1,2 and 3

Mosquitoes in larval stage 4 and pupa are not

effected


Adulticiding Main control measure today for adult

mosquitoes

Relies on chemical insecticides through fogging

applications.

Provides imdiate knockdown results on adult

mosquitoes


The Disadvantages of Adulticiding High enviromental impact

Kills benificial insects

Increases toxicity levels in soil and vegitation

Effects humans and pets

Only kills adults (less than 1% of the population)

Requires regular application


A little bit of Science will help explain the problem.

The Science of Mosquitoes

3300 MOSQUITO SPECIES


HUMAN FEEDDING MOSQUITOES House Mosquitoes and Tiger Mosquitoes


TIGER MOSQUITOES

(Aedes Aegypti / Aedes Albopictus) Aggressive container-inhabiting mosquito that can

breed in both stagnant and running water.


HOUSE MOSQUITOES (Culex Pipens) Exist in close environments to humans, breed in waste

containers, polluted streams and all sources of stagnant

water.


The Mosquito Life Cycle What can happen in 7 days


CO2

Skin Odors

Heat

Visual Cues

Humidity

Air currents

How do Mosquitoes Find Us ? Mosquitoes use physical, chemical and visual cues

to locate their hosts.

Mosquito Control Innovation

Novel Mosquito Control Solutions Enviromentally friendy solutions that are just as

effective as conventional methods.


Patent 1: Counter-flow suction trap Patent 2: Human Skin Scent

Two Patents make Biogents unlike anything else in the Market


Biogents’ patented capture method mimics

the exact factors that make human beings so

attractive to mosquitoes.

CO2

Skin Odors

Heat

Visual Cues

Humidity

Air currents


The patented “counter-flow-technology” A 4-Watt single fan sucks the air into the center of the trap. At

the bottom of the trap, the air picks up an artificial human scent

which then gets diverted upwards past the trap-walls and leaves

the trap through the white perforated top.


The Patented human scent dispenser

polymer granules inside the trap enriches the air stream

with substances like those emanated by the human skin.

These substances act as synergists that enhance the

attractiveness of the traps.


Oviposition Cues The contrast between the dark center and the light surface

of the trap is an additional attractant for mosquitoes

because it mimics the visual appearance of a human being.


Carbon Dioxide When CO2 is added to the air plume through a nozzle that

sits on top of the trap, the spectrum of mosquito species it

catches is widened and the efficacy of the trap is significantly

enhanced.


The BG-GAT Breaks the reproduction cycle of mosquitoes.

“Stop the next generation”

Mosquito Control innovation


Biogents Advantages

Easy to employ and operate

Environmentally friendly

Insecticide free

Does not catch beneficial insects

Safe for people, animals and the environment

Economical and effective

Sustainable solution

Suited for use in and around the houses

Scientifically proven


Scientifically Proven


BG- Counter

Remote Monitoring Mosquito Trap The first and only IOT device for remote, area-

wide mosquito surveillance and control

The BG-Counter is an innovative and autonomous

mosquito trapping device that differentiates

mosquitoes from other insects, counts them, and

wirelessly transmits the results to a cloud server.


BG- Counter

Remote Monitoring Mosquito Trap

Reports mosquito counts with 15 min time resolution

remotely from anywhere in the world

Reports GPS location and environmental data including

temperature, relative humidity, and ambient light

Runs indefinitely on solar power

Users manage and control the trap station from their desk


Remote Monitoring Mosquito Trap


Principle of operation Counting and differentiation from other insects

E: [email protected]

Karim Bayoud Boecker Public Health

T: +961 3 541151

W: www.boecker.com

00 september - 11:00am the rise of mosquitoes in uae · 2019-09-30 · urbanization the abundance...

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