Mosquitoes may be small, but in Cyprus they are an almost constant nuisance, present throughout the year, although the species and level of activity change with the seasons. But why do they seem to target some people more than others, and which measures to prevent them biting actually work?

The idea of a single ‘mosquito season’ is difficult to apply here. Head Entomologist and Principal Investigator at the laboratory of Vector Ecology and Applied Entomology, Joint Services Health Unit, British Forces Cyprus, Dr Angeliki F Martinou says that activity depends on the climate, the species of mosquito and even conditions within a specific neighbourhood or garden. Even when conditions across a large area are unsuitable for insect development, sheltered “pockets” may still provide the right conditions.

Mosquitoes depend on water for their development, so heavy rain followed by warm weather can contribute to their success. Martinou explains that when rainwater does not evaporate, it can become a mosquito breeding site. At temperatures of around 25C or above, she says, some species can complete their development within a week.

Rain is not required for mosquitoes to reproduce. Watering plants can result in small pools of water accumulating in flowerpot trays, containers, and other items that are found in gardens, especially when plants are watered in the evening. “Some mosquito species do not need a lot of water to develop, even a tablespoon of stagnant water is enough,” Martinou says.

Different species require different quantities of water to develop. The common house mosquito, Culex pipiens, which can transmit the West Nile virus, lays its eggs on the surface of water and requires a larger amount than some other species. It can breed in cesspools and septic tanks because it favours water containing organic matter. Martinou says the species has long been present in Cyprus and elsewhere in the Mediterranean.

By comparison, the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, and the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti, can develop in much smaller quantities of water. Their eggs are laid on damp surfaces and are able to survive for months even after the water dries. They can then hatch when rain falls, or someone waters their garden.

Why mosquitoes bite some people more than others

Removing standing water may reduce the number of mosquitoes nearby, but it does not explain why two people sitting in the same garden can have very different experiences.

Mosquitoes sense the presence of a potential host through several cues. Carbon dioxide in a person’s exhaled breath, body odour, and heat are detected along with visual cues. Some individuals really are consistently more attractive than others. A 2022 study published in Cell found that skin odour samples from people with higher levels of certain carboxylic acids were more attractive to female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The differences between highly and weakly attractive participants remained stable over several years.

A person’s body temperature and skin microbiome may also affect their attractiveness. Sweat and dark clothing can also make it easier for mosquitoes to locate someone. Martinou says that some species, like the Asian tiger mosquito, may prefer to feed on people with type O blood, but body temperature, carbon dioxide and body odour play a big role. The idea of having “sweet blood,” she says, is probably more of a joking expression than a significant reason why someone gets bitten.

Which mosquitoes bite humans and how to avoid them

Only female mosquitoes take blood meals, which provide nutrients needed to develop their eggs. Both male and female mosquitoes also feed on nectar and pollen. Martinou says that, out of the estimated 3,500 species worldwide, only a small number prefer to bite humans or pose a risk to them. Depending on the species, females may obtain blood from birds, reptiles, amphibians and other mammals.

The Asian tiger mosquito mostly bites outdoors during the day. According to Martinou, it adapts very quickly to local conditions. Residents have reported seeing this mosquito entering houses. Martinou suggests it may be seeking cooler indoor conditions when outdoor temperatures are particularly high.

The most effective means of protection begins by limiting your exposure. Martinou recommends repellents containing DEET, light coloured clothes, and mosquito nets on windows and doors. Essential oils such as citronella may offer some protection, though this usually wears off after one or two hours. Other solutions such as coils, candles and plug in devices can also help, although the effectiveness varies depending on the mosquito species.

Preventative measures around the home should not be overlooked. Things that require regular checking for standing water are flowerpot trays, pet bowls, toys, rain gutters, and poorly maintained swimming pools. Martinou cautions against overreliance on chemical spraying, as mosquitoes can develop resistance to insecticides, possibly making them less effective when they are genuinely needed during an outbreak. There is no easy way out; a combination of repellent, suitable clothing, screens, and removal of breeding sites offers the best defence against bites.

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Cyprus loves to eat. That is no secret and thankfully there is no shortage of places to chose. The island has award-winning restaurants, recognised by top industry professionals and venues that are little more than a hole in the wall, but which are the ones locals love eating at? The first People’s Eating Awards by Cyprus Eats aim to find out, putting the choice firmly in just the public’s hands.

‘You eat here. You decide’ says the awards’ tagline. Hosted by Cyprus Eats, one of the most popular and trusted food content creators on the island, the awards give the power to the people to choose the venues they love the most.

Public vote spans 22 categories

Until November 15, the public can vote across 22 categories, with the winners to be announced at a special awards ceremony on December 7. Alongside familiar categories such as favourite brunch spot, souvlaki joint and burger venue, there are more unusual ones, including Value for Money, Taste of Cyprus Award and Favourite Social Media Account.

“The people have been asking me for these awards,” says Cyprus Eats’ Akis. Across his eight years in the food blogging scene, he has not only reviewed hundreds of restaurants but has become a consultant and a connoisseur of the dining world, trusted by both restaurateurs and the public.

“I’ve tried many restaurants, locally and abroad. Cyprus has nothing to be jealous of overseas; we have great restaurants here,” he says.

“These awards are not about featuring my favourites, or collaborations, and I want to make that clear. Actually, about 70 per cent of the restaurants in the awards I probably haven’t even been to, or have never covered.”

Transparency and public participation have been central to the process. With an IT background, Akis spent the past year and a half building the voting platform. Once the system was finalised this summer, he invited a committee of 15 food bloggers and content creators to select the top 10 restaurants in each category.

“We did this Eurovision-style. Each category had at least 50 or 60 restaurants to choose from, and they would give 12 points to their favourite, 10 to the second favourite and so on. We looked at over 700 restaurants! The top 10 in each category were then selected.”

Voting system designed to ensure fairness

Some restaurants appear in more than one category, while others have landed in unexpected ones. A burger joint, for instance, might also be competing for Favourite Social Media Account, while a brunch spot might feature in the Sweet Tooth Award category instead of the brunch shortlist.

“Some restaurants were confused about the category they were nominated in if it wasn’t their speciality per se,” Akis explains. “But they were probably nominated in their correct category initially, just didn’t make the top 10 of that category. But if they are included in the top 10 of another category, it’s still a win!”

Restaurants were informed of their nominations only after the results were made public. The voting platform also randomises the order in which nominees appear, reshuffling the list each time someone returns to a category.

“People might not scroll down to the bottom or see only the first three, and I didn’t want that,” says Akis. “I wanted to give everyone a fair opportunity.”

There are plenty of hidden treasures to discover within the voting platform, and Cyprus Eats is preparing a video series about them. For example, the site includes games that unlock once a voter has cast a vote in all 22 categories. The top scorer in each game wins a prize, while those who complete all categories are entered into a draw to win 500 credits on their Bolt Food account, provided by the awards’ platinum sponsor.

A few more gifts are hidden and will be revealed throughout the next four weeks. Made to be interactive and attractive, CyprusEats still encourages people to be mindful when they vote. “Don’t just vote randomly to enter the draw,” Akis advises, “choose wisely as your voice matters.”

Plans for a more inclusive awards ceremony

The winners will be announced on December 7 at an invitation-only awards ceremony, which was not how Cyprus Eats originally envisioned the event.

“I’m going to be honest. I really wanted the people to be at the awards, and it was going to be at a street food event with food and activities. Not a black-tie event but something for the people, by the people.”

But with time running short, it was too complicated to organise it for this winter. That is the plan, however, for the second People’s Eating Awards next year, and Cyprus Eats has more ideas up its sleeve – a larger committee with the possibility of including everyday people to have more diversity and more voices. It is the People’s Awards, after all.

Votes are already coming in and so far, the data is unexpected. Restaurants that typically are the critics’ first choice are not necessarily the people’s.

“Everyday people eat and value differently,” concludes Akis. “The number one restaurant of Cyprus isn’t really number one because not everyone eats there. So, this is what my awards are. It’s not about the best, but the public’s favourite, and that’s important to recognise because they are doing something right. They are winning the people, and perhaps, that’s more important.”

www.thepeopleseatingawards.com/cy 

Allá por 2006 Xbox presento al mundo la que acabaría por convertirse en una de las franquicias más exitosas y reconocibles de la marca: Gears of War. Se trataba de un brutal juego de acción que daría pie a una saga conceptualmente deudora tanto del imaginario de Warhammer 40.000 como de Starship Troopers, que consiguió desarrollar una arrolladora personalidad propia y que sentó las bases de una mecánica que luego copiarían, con mayor o menor fortuna, decenas si no cientos de juegos: los disparos con cobertura desde diversos elementos del escenario tras los cuales nos parapetamos. ¿El punto de partida? La guerra que en planeta Sera libra la humanidad contra los terribles locust, unos seres de aspecto reptiloide y gatillo fácil que, desde las profundidades del mundo, han declarado la guerra a la humanidad.

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