For Carlos Barceló it was actually a logical decision to become an entomologist, i.e. an insect researcher. "As a child, I was always in the garden watching the little creatures. My work today allows me to revive my childhood interests on a professional level," says the professor.
"I work with the most dangerous animals in the world," he says and smiles. "When people think of life-threatening animals, people think of big, strong predators," says Barceló. However, it's not just sharp fangs and thick claws that can kill, but often very tiny animals that can quickly cost people their lives.
"Mosquitoes pose the greatest danger. They don't kill us directly, but they transmit diseases that can kill us," Barceló emphasises calmly. The tiger mosquito is the best example of this. It is one of the top 100 invasive animal species in the world and can transmit diseases such as dengue fever, Zika and Chikungunya viruses. "If an infected person arrives from another country although without symptoms and is bitten by another mosquito here, the animal picks up the disease and transmits it to the person it bites next," he explains. In 2022, this is exactly how someone contracted dengue fever in Ibiza.
The tiger mosquito was able to spread due to globalisation and the associated intercontinental movement of goods and travel. "It is assumed that the first tiger mosquito was brought from China in a moist bamboo plant. The larvae survived in the water and then spread.
Barceló at work in the field: he collects larvae and mosquitoes and takes them to the laboratory for analysis.
"In my work I am investigating the different types of mosquitoes: What species are there on the Balearic Islands, what pathogens do they carry, what do they feed on?" To do this, he goes out into the wild at least once a week. "In the field I look for larvae and adult animals for which I have set traps." In the laboratory he can then even investigate exactly which diseases they can transmit to their hosts.
But is it so easy to find and catch such small animals in the wild? "When I go to a place, I immediately know where to find them. These traps work great, by the way," says Barceló, pointing to a white bag. "Mosquitoes love the smell of sweat and our skin. This bag contains an attractant that consists of lactic acid. It smells like sweaty socks, a real paradise for mosquitoes, so the animals are easily attracted to it."
In the course of his research, Barceló was able to recognise numerous differences between tiger mosquitoes and native mosquitoes. "The tiger mosquito is more aggressive and, unlike the others, also flies during the day. A mosquito often sucks itself up in one place for so long that we can easily kill it. Not so with the tabby variety! It makes small and short bites, but several in succession and flies very low. This makes them harder to spot."
There are a few things that could help keep the mosquito at bay, but there is no guarantee. The scent of "citronella" would not be particularly favoured by the mosquito and could help a little. Ultrasonic plugs have no scientific basis and would not help. But there are these plugs with insect repellent that some people use in the bedroom in the evening. The active ingredient rises in the air and directs the animals upwards towards the ceiling. "But that doesn't necessarily help with the tiger mosquitoes that circulate during the day."
The very best way to prevent mosquitoes from spreading is to make sure that there is no accumulation of water, for example in flower pots. "They prefer to stay in shady areas near houses with swimming pools. Interestingly, the tiger mosquitoes don't necessarily have to lay their eggs in water, it is enough if there is water nearby."
Barceló himself always searches his rooms for the unloved mosquitoes. Not out of fear, but simply to avoid itchy skin. "I'm only panicky about wasps and bees."
Cooperation with TUI
Support from the tourism industry: the project is sponsored by Europe's leading tourism group Tui and its Tui Care Foundation. The initiative was founded in 2016 with the aim of supporting sustainable projects in the destinations. The foundation focuses on the potential of the tourism sector as a driver of social development, education and prosperity. The Group promotes sustainable tourism in cooperation with local people.