Mosquitoes which bite throughout the day and can carry deadly diseases such as the Chikungunya virus could return to Britain this summer, experts have warned.
Eggs of the aggressive Asian Tiger were found in the UK for the first time last year – and an expert has warned they will come back.
Oliver Boase, a consultant for the British Pest Control Association, said, "It could happen this summer or next summer, but it’s a case of when, rather than if.
"The discovery of the mosquito in Britain last year is extremely unlikely to have been a one-off event.
"If some of the mosquitoes escaped treatment, survived and dispersed – and I’d say there’s a 50-50 chance – they could breed before they’re spotted and we could then have a bigger problem on our hands.
"But even if that issue has been resolved, there are bound to be other introductions sooner or later.
"It has already spread across mainland Europe, so it’s probably only a matter of time before it establishes a colony over here.
"And it’s a problem waiting to happen because a major infestation in an urban area would be very difficult to eliminate."
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