Mosquito and cockroach surge triggers pest‑control warnings in Spain

Retailer Leroy Merlin is promoting a 13‑watt electric mosquito lamp that kills insects on contact and can cover up to 30 m², priced at €12.90. The device is presented as a chemical‑free alternative for homes.

The Catalan Association of Environmental Health Companies (Adepap) warns that a combination of warm, rainy springs and high temperatures is driving a rise in tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus) and various cockroach species across Spain. The tiger mosquito can transmit dengue, Zika and chikungunya, and recent local dengue cases have been recorded in Tarragona. Adepap also notes a growing presence of American, oriental and German cockroaches, which can spread salmonellosis through food contamination. The association urges intensified pest‑control measures and hygiene practices to curb the expected “complicated summer.”