Politics & Government

Deadly Asian Tiger Mosquito Approaching Bay Area

County's bug unit has eradicated the deadly bug twice in the past decade, but still cautions residents to be on the lookout.

Bay Area public health officials are openly expressing concern that a deadly mosquito population that’s already been spotted in Southern California could soon pop up near you, KCBS reports.

The Asian Tiger Mosquito, which is a carrier of Dengue Fever and Chikungunya, among other deadly viruses and found in the state has already been a nuisance in the Santa Clara County in years past.

The Santa Clara County Vector Control District effectively eradicated two invasions of the deadly bug. One, an infestation from a shipment of “lucky bamboo” from Southeast Asia, showed up in a greenhouse in Gilroy in 2001; and a greenhouse in Mountain View was infected in 2003.

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“The Asian Tiger Mosquito is a real game changer,” Russ Parman, acting director of the Santa Clara County Vector Control District told KCBS. “That’s because it’s a container breeder—which means it will breed in any container—from a saucer with a quarter inch of water, to potted plants, anything that holds water.”

And it is potential breeding grounds that the district looks for during the warmer months.

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The week of April 22 is "West Nile Virus and Mosquito & Vector Control Awareness Week” in California, and vector control officials announced the start of its expanded season efforts to monitor and control breeding of all mosquitoes.

Part of its monitoring program included placing seven flocks of chicken in strategic areas of Santa Clara County to monitor for West Nile Virus activity such as finding dead birds or squirrels.

If an infected mosquito feeds on one of the placed chickens, the “chickens will develop antibodies and thus act as a good indicator of local virus activity," according to the district.

The Asian Tiger Mosquito is believed to have entered the United States in 1985 inadvertently with tires imported from Asia.

It is smaller than most mosquitoes typically found in the Bay Area, with distinctive white line that runs down its spine (invasive.org features a photo gallery of the deadly bug) and tends to bite during the day.

Santa Clarita Valley News reports an Asian Tiger Mosquito infestation was discovered earlier this week in the City of South El Monte.

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