Non-Native Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Expanding in Santa Clara County
The day-biting mosquito, Aedes aegypti, has expanded within the county. We recently confirmed its presence in South San José, near Santa Teresa County Park, and the infestation in the city of Santa Clara has expanded.
The day-biting mosquito has now been found in five locations:
- South San José: 22 mosquitoes found
- Santa Clara: 172 mosquitoes found
- Gilroy: six mosquitoes found
- East San José: 151 mosquitoes found
- San José (near Oak Hill Funeral Home & Memorial Park): two mosquitoes found
This mosquito is of special concern because it has the potential to transmit a variety of diseases, including Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Unlike some of our native mosquitoes that breed in marshes and swamps, Aedes aegypti prefer containers and live in close proximity to humans and thrive in areas like our backyards. The invasive species is about a quarter inch in size with black and white stripes on its back and legs. It is an aggressive mosquito that will bite at any time of day, even indoors.
We are carrying out an eradication plan to combat the aggressive mosquito species and we urge residents to help protect the community by removing sources of standing water on their properties. It's important for residents to look around their yard and outside their home and dump out even the smallest amount of standing water.
The public plays a critical role in controlling the spread of this mosquito. It's important for residents to do the following:
- Allow district staff to access their property to do the important job of checking for mosquitoes and treating them as needed.
- Report day-biting mosquitoes immediately to the Vector Control District at (408) 918-4770 or [email protected]. (Residents can send photographs of mosquitoes with black and white stripes to the same email address.)
- Dump out any containers that are filled with water and clean them by scrubbing them with hot, soapy water or undiluted bleach. How to properly clean out containers for mosquitoes can be found here.