The Asian tiger mosquito was recently identified in an El Monte neighborhood. This aggressive day-biting mosquito is not native to California and has not been seen in the San Gabriel Valley since 2001 when they were accidentally imported in shipments of Dracaena “Lucky Bamboo” plants.
This mosquito is very small (approx. 1/4 inch), with distinctive black and white bands on its thorax, abdomen, and legs. They are aggressive biters and are active during daylight hours as well as dusk and dawn.
This mosquito is a ‘container breeder’ and prefers to lay its eggs onto the inside of water-filled containers or on stems of aquatic plants. When flooded, the eggs hatch and larvae emerge, maturing to biting adults in 7-12 days.
This mosquito is a native of tropical and subtropical Southeast Asia but has invaded other countries through international transport and travel. When established, they become a significant pest and are able to transmit many serious pathogens including dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, encephalitis-causing viruses and the parasite responsible for heartworm in dogs and cats.
Asian tiger mosquitoes are responsible for recent outbreaks of dengue virus in Florida, Hawai’i, and Texas. If this mosquito becomes permanently established in California, residents will have to live with an even greater risk of mosquito-transmitted disease.
**DO NOT KEEP WATER FILLED CONTAINERS IN YOUR YARD. OVERTURN OR DISCARD ALL BUCKETS, CANS, POTS, ETC. AROUND YOUR HOME TODAY**
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The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District
1145 N. Azusa Canyon Road, West Covina, CA 91790
626-814-9466 / www.SGVmosquito.org
