Experts have dismissed them as a serious danger, but mosquitoes are becoming more of a nuisance every day in Istanbul in the summer. Their prevalence appears to be more frequent, while their activity is not limited to nighttime, according to locals.
In Yeşilkent, a neighborhood located near a creek in the Avcılar district on the European side of Turkey’s most populated city, residents point out itchy bites on their skin and complain of a lack of action from municipalities to contain the growing threat of mosquitoes.
Aedes, a genus of mosquitoes that spread across the world in a few decades as invasive species once endemic to tropical zones and subtropical zones, is the primary species ruining the daily lives of Istanbulites.
Residents of Yeşilkent complain of inadequate extermination work by the municipality. “Everybody has a mosquito problem,” Muharrem Kurnaz, a shopkeeper, told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Wednesday as he showed mosquito bites on his body. “The mosquitoes are everywhere, whether when I sit on the balcony of my home or in my shop,” he complained. “I use mosquito repellent but a bottle runs out in two days. The municipality should send crews to exterminate them,” he said.
Ipek Uslu, another resident, says they cannot get a good night’s sleep because of the mosquitoes, and they affect children in particular. “Their bodies are full of bites. There should be a solution to this,” she said.
Professor Kenan Midilli, a virology expert from Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, says the aedes genus has been more common in Turkey since 2010 and spreads due to “higher global mobility and climate change.” Midilli advises people to use mosquito nets indoors and repellents while they are outdoors.
He said there was no infection carried by aedes and culex, another prevalent genus, reported in Turkey. “Aedes, for instance, spread some diseases prevalent in Africa, India, the Far East and South America to people they bit. Except for West Nile fever, none of them are endemic in our region for now. But mosquitoes may still pose a threat to the future as they now inhabit our country. Diseases endemic in tropical and subtropical zones can be endemic here as well,” he said.
Midilli cited deaths from West Nile fever in Turkey in recent years, including in Istanbul. “There is no acute danger yet but the number of mosquitoes is too many. They are particularly aggressive and attack in the daytime,” he added.
Midilli says another solution against mosquitoes was removing puddles on the streets. “They are their breeding ground. Along with puddles, they proliferate at the bottom of flower pots (where excess water during watering of plants accumulates),” he said. Midilli also called on people to empty water in water bowls left on the streets for stray animals daily and replace it with fresh water.
Associate professor Necla Birgül Iyison, a molecular biology and genetics expert from Boğaziçi University, says early measures can prevent the proliferation of mosquitoes. “They do not have good flying skills and move slow. So, when you see a few mosquitoes around, make sure that any nearby puddles are cleared,” she told Anadolu Agency (AA).
Iyison also pointed out that Istanbul had all the circumstances that help mosquitoes to thrive, from its location as a transit point for maritime and air traffic to its high tourism potential, from being in a location preferred by migratory birds to climate change’s impact on the city.
“Aedes can adapt to different climates and thus, they can easily spread,” she said, adding that uncontrolled dumping of old tires and plant exports also helped them multiply easily. Used tires are a perfect breeding ground for the insects as they can store rainwater and are often warm enough for them to lay eggs.
