By Joe
North Americans are always surprised by the lack of insect screens on windows in European countries. Perhaps this is because, prior to climate change, North America had a much harsher climate than Europe, with many more disease-carrying mosquitoes, black flies, and other insects, so North Americans long ago adapted by putting screens on the windows and doors of their houses. I’m not sure it would even be possible to buy a window in North America that doesn’t come with a screen!
According to Wikipedia, “nearly 700 million people get a mosquito-borne illness each year resulting in over 725,000 deaths.”
“Diseases transmitted by mosquitoes include malaria, dengue, West Nile virus, chikungunya, yellow fever, filariasis, tularemia, dirofilariasis, Japanese encephalitis, Saint Louis encephalitis, Western equine encephalitis, Eastern equine encephalitis, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, Ross River fever, Barmah Forest fever, La Crosse encephalitis, and Zika fever, as well as newly detected Keystone virus and Rift Valley fever.”
Now, however, Europe is seeing a surge in mosquito-borne illnesses, particularly dengue fever, and particularly in France, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Yet the idea of putting screens on windows and doors does not seem to have become part of European consciousness. If it’s brought up at all, which it isn’t, most Europeans will say that having a screen on a window spoils the view, or prevents fresh air from circulating. Speaking as an American, I can say that neither statement is true — one quickly becomes accustomed to them. Perhaps they are like traffic roundabouts for American sensibilities!
In our case, we are resorting to insect repellent, mosquito nets over the beds, and fly paper, even though they are only a partial and inadequate solution.
The world is changing rapidly, thanks to all the carbon we’ve pumped into the atmosphere since the beginning of the industrial revolution. The climate in which our species has flourished over the past 10,000 years is going the way of the dinosaurs, and mosquitoes in Europe are just one more symptom of this.
Barbara and Joe Abroad 