Sensationalist or hurried journalism?

[Jason Green]

Hi all,

I've just been trying to put a name to our resident UK mosquito that looks like the Asian Tiger one but much bigger, and came across this page...

Deadly mosquito has landed in Britain | Mail Online

Wow, it's finally got here. Hmmm... I'd like to know how accurate the identification was! It says 'The 41-year-old said: "I have seen tiger mosquitoes when I travelled around Europe and thought this looked like one'. That seems to be good enough for DM, and states that it HAS landed in Britain!

Oh no, if you read on they then say, 'Clive Salisbury, pollution control manager for Cheltenham Borough Council, said the mosquitoes found in the town had been sent for final identification' - which roughly translated most likely means it will come back as our very common C. annulata!!

Why on Earth didn't DM wait until the final identification had come through before 'Confirming' it themselves - when that ID is unlikely?!!

Take care,

Jason

[Hedera]

I DO hope they've all died by now - it was 2007! Otherwise I'm getting lots of Deet in. They always go for me!

[charlieb]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Why on Earth didn't DM wait until the final identification had come through before 'Confirming' it themselves

Because they're journalists?

[ChrisR]

Hmm, my first thought was Culisetta annulata because it is a very large, stripey, native mosquito and if these Tiger mozzies really have reached the UK then why wouldn't they have been seen closer to a port, rather than Cheltenham?

[pressld2]

Journalism rule 1 - first simplify, then exaggerate.

Dave P.

[Paul mabbott]

Exotic mosqitoes have been landing in UK for many years and are especially commonly seen in west London. They seldom survive but one day they may establish. The only way to avoid this is to close Heathrow .... not a bad thing really .......
Certainly we would want to see all putative mosquitoes identified by dipterists: more than half of reported 'mosquitoes' are midges or other small flies ...
So, the important thing is to treat anything you read in the paper with the proverbial pinch of salt .... especially when the paper is the D.M. .....

[Jason Green]

Thanks Paul.

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

Exotic mosqitoes have been landing in UK for many years and are especially commonly seen in west London.

I didn't know. What are the notable ones? Any particularly good locations? These, well not rarities as such but 'oddities', could make an interesting addition to my site I suppose.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Why on Earth didn't DM wait until the final identification had come through before 'Confirming' it themselves - when that ID is unlikely?!!

Just be gratefully they didnt blame its arrivial on immigrants helped by the BBC and New Labour lol

[loripo]

There is an interesting PDF report (May 2009) by the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health about mosquitos

Public health issues posed by mosquitoes
An independent report
May 2009
They refer to possible problems during the 2012 Olympics.
I have saved the link if anyone can't find it online.

[Beekeeper]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

Just be gratefully they didnt blame its arrivial on immigrants helped by the BBC and New Labour lol

Ah, someone who thinks like me but i better not get started on that one or i would probably end up being banned from the forum.

Ian