Asian Tiger Mosquitoes Threaten Northern New Jersey
Asian tiger mosquitoes pose a new threat to residents of northern New Jersey. A serious problem in nearby Mercer and Monmouth counties, the Asian tiger mosquito has become a public-health threat in recent years. This mosquito prefers human to animal blood. Its bite can transmit West Nile virus, Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever and Chikungunya virus.
Unlike common New Jersey mosquitoes, the Asian tiger mosquito is black with sharply contrasting white markings on its body and white striped legs. The species first appeared in New Jersey in 1995 and has been spreading steadily northward over the past decade. The mild winter of 2006 allowed many of these blood-sucking pests to survive, creating an exponential increase in their population. Asian tiger mosquitoes are now so numerous in south and central New Jersey that state authorities have classified them as a public health menace.
Mercer and Monmouth County officials are working with Americorps, Rutgers University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop measures that can be used to control Asian tiger mosquitoes. Control is made particularly difficult because these mosquitoes breed in exceptionally small containers and tiny puddles. Mosquito larvae have been found in water-filled bottle caps, clogged gutters, children’s toys left outside in the rain, even water trapped in dried leaves.
The best protection from Asian tiger mosquitoes is to drain water from possible breeding sites and call your northern New Jersey pest control professional for assistance.