Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

The Asian tiger mosquito is a small black mosquito with bright white stripes that bites during the day, not just at dusk. Native to Southeast Asia, it was first found in the U.S. in Texas in 1985, most likely arriving as eggs in used tires, and is now common across much of the Southeast and East.

Appearance

Appearance: Usually about 3/16 in (4–5 mm) long, though adults range from about 0.08 to 0.4 in (2–10 mm). They have a black body, white-banded legs, and one silvery-white stripe running down the middle of the back. Males are about 20% smaller than females and have feathery antennae.

Look-alikes

Yellow fever mosquitoAedes aegypti

Look at the top of the : the Asian tiger mosquito has a single white stripe down the center, while the yellow fever mosquito has a white lyre- or violin-shaped pattern. You may need a close-up photo or a magnifier to see it.

Why they get mixed upBoth are small black-and-white mosquitoes with white-banded legs that bite during the day.

Asian bush mosquitoAedes japonicus

The Asian tiger mosquito has one silvery-white stripe down the thorax; the Asian bush mosquito has several golden or brownish stripes. The very tip of the hind leg is white on the tiger mosquito but dark on the bush mosquito.

Why they get mixed upAnother invasive Asian mosquito with dark legs banded in white, now common in the eastern U.S.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: backyards
parks
wooded edges
Range: Established in more than two dozen states, mostly across the Southeast and East, including all 67 Florida counties. It handles cooler weather better than the yellow fever mosquito, so it can live farther north.
Preferred conditions: Larvae grow in small containers of standing water, such as tires, flowerpot saucers, birdbaths, pet dishes, and tree holes. Only a small amount of water is needed.

Behavior

Diet: Only females bite, because they need blood to make eggs. Besides people, they also bite pets and wild animals.
Activity: Bites during the day, with peaks in the early morning and late afternoon. It is an aggressive biter and may bite several times. It doesn't fly far — only a few blocks over its whole life.
Overwintering: In colder areas it gets through the winter as eggs, which can survive drying out for up to 8 months. In tropical and subtropical areas adults are active all year.

Life cycle

Reproduction: Females glue their eggs to the inside walls of containers just above the waterline. Eggs hatch when rain floods them, and it takes about 7–10 days to go from egg to adult. Emptying standing water every week helps break this cycle.

Cautions

Cautions: It can carry dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses, plus dog heartworm. In the U.S. it is a less efficient carrier than the yellow fever mosquito, partly because it also feeds on animals, but health agencies still watch it.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
Status: Listed among the world's 100 worst . The used-tire trade helped move its eggs around the world.