Insects - Flea expert: Beach probably not past August
The current sand fly plague in the Southwest is expected to last at least the entire month of July, according to biologist Dirk Reichle. "For as long as sand flies naturally reach the end of their lives. They live approximately six to seven weeks," said the scientific director of the Communal Action Association for Sand fly Control (Kabs). Those who want to protect themselves should make their environment unattractive to sand flies. "Smoke coils or repellents keep them from flying." Repellents are applied to uncovered skin areas.
There have been "sand fly years" before, such as in 2016 and 2021. "But 2024 stands out in terms of meteorological conditions as an exceptional year," said Reichle to the German Press Agency at the Kabs headquarters in Speyer (Pfalz). Since November 2023, there have been frequent heavy rain phases. "And at the Upper Rhine including the Bodensee, there has been high water for weeks without any significant recession." This has provided optimal conditions for sand flies in forests away from the Rhine - along with the warmest February since climate recording.
Concentration of heavy rain events
"We had to fight the marsh sand flies two weeks earlier than usual," said Reichle. The meteorological conditions have also affected other mass breeding sites. "For example, the Bodensee. It has never been sprayed before." He also knows of other regions in Germany that have been affected by stronger sand fly populations this year. Currently, the situation regarding the new hatching of sand flies is calm, as many remaining water areas still need to dry out completely.
"I think the climate warming has arrived," said Reichle generally about the sand fly situation. Not every heavy rain event is the result of climate warming. "But if we look at the past years, there is a clear concentration of heavy rain events with major flooding and disasters." The Kabs director named the Ahr flood and the latest floods in Saarland, Switzerland, and other regions as examples. "These are exactly the scenarios that climate researchers have predicted. But not every year will be as extreme as 2024."
In the Kabs, a recognized charitable association, more than 90 municipalities in Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg and Hessen have joined forces. Their task is to contain the multiplication of sand flies - including those that transmit diseases - to prevent an infestation. The work of the experts with the substance Bti, which kills larvae, is labor-intensive: The responsible persons for controlling forest sand flies on the ground fight through the undergrowth, but many breeding sites need to be treated from the air. Helicopters are used for this. In parts of South Germany, sand flies are also called "mosquitoes."
- In Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg, and Hesse, over 90 municipalities have collaborated in the Kabs to combat sand flies, particularly those that carry diseases.
- The current sand fly plague in the Southwest is projected to persist until the end of July, as per biologist Dirk Reichle from the Kabs in Palatinate.
- Sand flies are attracted to environments with standing water, and Reichle suggests using smoke coils or repellents to deter them.
- According to Reichle, the unusually wet conditions in the Upper Rhine and Lake Constance have made these areas ideal for sand flies, contributing to the current plague.
- The concentration of heavy rain events and flooding in recent years, such as the Ahr flood and the Saarland floods, has been linked to climate change by Reichle.
- In addition to South Germany, other regions in Germany have reported stronger sand fly populations this year, reflecting the widespread impact of the plague.
- Sand flies are not native to Germany, and they are sometimes referred to as "stitch-goats" or "mosquitoes" in parts of South Germany.
