Mosquitoes are attacking Germany: mosquito spray is now in short supply

München – First came the flood, now come the mosquitoes. They bother us at night, they bite us in the office, at the outdoor pool, when we eat ice cream. And now there is a shortage of mosquito repellent!

This summer we are plagued in Germany by a real Mosquito invasion. And there are more and more.

The stinging creatures even annoy our national football players in the EM team quarters. And in Hamburg An authority has already called on citizens to hunt mosquitoes.

Rush on anti-mosquito products in stores

The situation is particularly bad in Baden-Württemberg, Hesse and Bavaria. Lucky are those who have a spray or ointment to hand and can protect themselves. Now, of all times, retail and Pharmacies – especially in southern Germany – mosquito repellent is in short supply. This is reported by the relevant trade associations.

In Bavarian retail, common mosquito repellents were recently sold out in many stores in the affected areas.

“There was a real rush,” says Bernd Ohlmann, the managing director of the Bavarian Retail Association. Even though Ohlmann is concerned about panic buying during the Corona Pandemic qualifies: “Mosquito repellent is not the new toilet paper.” Nevertheless, in areas such as the Five Lakes Region in Upper Bavaria, such peaks in demand are nothing new. This year, however, it is also affecting other areas.

Shortages also in pharmacies

Pharmacies don’t always have anything available either: “There are initial shortages,” says Helen Brugger. She is the spokesperson for the Bavarian Pharmacists’ Association for the Starnberg area and the owner of two businesses in Herrsching. “We are currently selling more than usual at this time of year.” Orders are still coming in regularly. But she cannot say how long this will be the case, says Brugger.

A look at the homepage of the drugstore dm matches Ohlmann’s assessment: As of Monday morning, a common mosquito repellent was not available in many branches in Upper Bavaria and Swabia. There were also many gaps in Lower Bavaria and Middle Franconia.

Floods benefited mosquitoes

But why are there so many mosquitoes this year? This is due to the many floods“Every flood is followed by flood mosquitoes,” says Doreen Werner from the Leibniz Center for Agricultural Landscape Research, who heads the nationwide “Mosquito Atlas.” The female animals lay their eggs on the banks. If the eggs get wet with the next rain, the mosquito development starts. Depending on the temperature, the animals hatch after a few days.

Expert does not give a quick all-clear

Quick relief is unlikely: According to Werner, mosquitoes have a lifespan of around four to six weeks. However, this is dependent on temperature and weather conditions. But that does not necessarily mean that the problem will be solved in a few weeks: “Mosquitoes are clever. They hatch in stages.”

In addition, with every rain shower, the probability that more animals will develop from the eggs that have been laid increases. However, in “a maximum of two to three months” there is a sigh of relief.