Molly Clarke
Molly Clarke says she suffers from ‘severe reactions’ from mosquito bites, which residents in the Ballykelly area say are on the increase again
Residents in a County Londonderry village have said they are being “tormented” once again by biting insects, which experts have identified as mosquitoes.
Molly Clarke, 57, is among a number of people in Ballykelly who have been repeatedly bitten by the insects, leaving them with large, itchy red spots and rashes.
Similar concerns were raised about insect bites in the village around the same time last year.
Ms Clarke said she now stays indoors for long periods of time to try to avoid the insects, which left her needing hospital treatment for bites twice last year.
What is causing the bites in Ballykelly?
Getty
Culiseta annulata, otherwise known as banded mosquitoes, was believed to be behind the bites, but new research has identified other mosquito species in Ballykelly
A study led by Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), along with the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) and others, has been investigating mosquito populations across Northern Ireland, with a particular focus on the Ballykelly area.
Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme, Aidan Desjardins from the research group said previous investigations in Ballykelly identified Culiseta annulata – also known as banded mosquitoes – as the likely source of the reported bites last year.
But researchers have recently captured other mosquito species in the Ballykelly area that are probably responsible for the increase in bites.
These include Aedes detritus, commonly known as the saltmarsh mosquito, and Culex pipiens, or common house mosquito, all of which are known to bite humans and animals.
Aidan Desjardins
QUB students Aidan Desjardins (right) and Ryan Carmichael (left) are part of the field team collecting samples of mosquitoes with these traps as part of the research project
“We have gathered samples from the gardens of local people who volunteered to be part of our sampling project, and this is where we found these other species,” Mr Desjardins said.
“We are still investigating the Ballykelly forest area, but you can see them breeding in common places like buckets or small bodies of water such as puddles, and these species can also be found in buildings and people’s homes.”
Sharleen Wray
Sharleen Wray said her five-year-old son, Billy, got six large bites on his right leg and that it became incredibly swollen
Aidan Desjardins said that while these mosquitoes currently pose little risk in terms of disease transmission, their bites can cause irritation and discomfort.
Sharleen Wray
Sharleen Wray said she also experienced a number of bites on her ankles after being bitten by insects
Molly Clarke said the influx of biting insects seriously affects her day-to-day life.
“I just keep myself in the house as much as possible, I basically go to work, come home, and stay indoors,” Ms Clarke told BBC News NI.
“It’s a shame because I bought this house for the garden, but I can’t enjoy it because of how badly I react if I get bitten.”
She said she noticed the return of the insects in late September and into October, “when they started appearing everywhere again”.
Clare Smyth
Clare Smyth says her daughters, Kaleea, aged 13, (far right), and Dakota, aged 10, (middle) have been bitten a lot by the insects
Sharleen Wray said her family do not leave their home in Ballykelly without spraying themselves with insect repellent.
Her five-year-old son, Billy Wray, had six large bites on his right leg, which became “incredibly swollen” and caused him to feel sick.
“We would have gotten your average mosquito bites on holidays before, but these are on a whole different level,” she said.
“The problem is off the scale.”
‘Intolerable to go outside’
Clare Smyth said she counted 12 bites on her youngest daughter’s leg at one point, and that her other daughter had to be put on antibiotics twice after being bitten.
“Dakota and Kaleea would come home from school or from being just outside and they would just be covered in bites,” Ms Smyth said.
“It’s just intolerable to go outside sometimes,” she said.
Clare Smyth
Clare Smyth says her two daughters used to love going to Ballykelly Forest but have stayed away from the area since the sharp increase in biting insects
“They even come into the house – we’ve had them get in before – so there’s really no escape from them.
“You do get fed up with it and the children really suffer with it, one of my daughters struggled to sleep because she was bitten all over.”
What can you do about the bites?
The Public Health Agency (PHA) said insect bites or stings “are not usually serious and get better in a few days”.
“Sometimes bites or stings can become infected or cause an allergic reaction or illness,” the PHA said.
“If bitten you can often treat an insect bite or sting without seeing a GP, and a pharmacist can advise you about medicines that can help ease the symptoms of a bite or sting, such as antihistamines, steroid cream or painkillers.”
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council said that “naturally-occurring phenomena” such an increase in insect numbers happens due to unseasonably warm weather.
The council said this was not something it could implement any control over but it advised people experiencing problems with the insects to remove standing water in their garden, keep gutters clear, use insect repellent and cover exposed skin as preventive measure.
