The Neighborhood’s New Pesky, Little Friend
By DON STINE
Have you noticed that the mosquitoes in your yard are a bit more aggressive and aggravating this year? And that you seem to be getting more bites than normal and that they seem to last longer?
Well, then say hello to your neighborhood’s new little friend- the Asian Tiger mosquito!
“The Asian Tiger mosquito has definitely become the nuisance mosquito in Monmouth County recently,” said Vicki Thompson, assistant superintendent of the Monmouth County Mosquito Extermination Commission.
She said the first Asian Tiger mosquitoes were discovered in Monmouth County around 1995 and that the population has been expanding.
“The population in the last few years seems to have really exploded and we see the Asian Tiger mosquitoes in areas that don’t normally have a mosquito problem. They are now in a lot of neighborhoods, even those that are not near the water,” she said.
Thompson said the mosquitoes are rather aggressive and their bites can be a bit more severe and longer lasting than those of other mosquitoes.
“The best defense is to educate people about how to prevent their breeding and have them scrutinize their yards,” she said.
The adult Asian Tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is characterized by a white stripe running down its head and back and by white bands on its legs. The mosquito is native to Southeast Asia but can now be found in all continents, except Antarctica.
The Asian Tiger mosquito was first detected in the United Stats in a shipment of tires at the port of Houston, Texas in 1985 and has since spread across the country, as far north as Maine.
Only the female bites to collect blood, both human and animal, to feed her eggs. She will lay her eggs about four or five days after feeding on blood. Males primarily feed on nectar. Adult mosquitoes emerge from their pupae in as little as 10 to 14 days. The female lays her eggs near large bodies of water but not directly in them, instead usually seeking a stagnant pool. However, any open container of water will do for laying her eggs. The mosquito is a weak flyer, usually within a half-mile, so breeding grounds are usually close to where you are being bitten. The mosquito does not breed in lakes, ditches or marshes. “It’s pretty much what we call a container mosquito- breeding in smaller bodies of water,” said Sean Healy, an entomologist with the county mosquito commission. The mosquito is unlike many other mosquitoes because it is closely associated with humans. It flies and feeds in the daytime as well as at dusk and dawn- not at night. “It’s primarily more active during the daylight and rests at night,” Healy said. The Asian Tiger mosquito has not yet been shown to carry the dreaded West Nile virus or encephalitis. “Like many mosquitoes, it is able to transmit these diseases but there is little evidence to show that is happening now,” Healy said. He said since the mosquito breeds in smaller water bodies it is harder to spray insecticides to kill it. “Much of its habitat is of a nature that can’t be treated on a mass scale. Educational programs are one of the main ways to combat the problem and we need to empower people to control the problem in their own backyards,” he said. Homeowners should try to remove potential breeding grounds, like long-lasting puddles, bird baths, kiddy pools, drainage holding systems and roof gutters, cavities in trees, old tires, and other standing or stagnant water. And while removing these potential breeding grounds is one way to control the population, dragonflies and other beneficial insects and birds are also excellent mosquito eaters, including devouring the larvae in the standing water. The mosquitoes are persistent biters and can become quite bothersome. Healy said people will react in varying degrees to the bites of Asian Tiger mosquitoes. “They certainly are pesky. Some people are more sensitive than others. It is certainly a growing problem and it’s more severe now than it has been in the past,” he said.
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