The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is a small black and white striped mosquito that is an invasive species found worldwide. It is active year-round in warm humid climates and can survive in a variety of habitats. The mosquito is a vector for diseases like dengue fever, chikungunya fever, and yellow fever and was spread globally through international tire transport.

1. Asian Tiger mosquitoForest Day MosquitoAedes albopictus

2. NotesAll contents have references listed at the end of this presentation.All images are linked to their original webpage.

3. Aedes albopictusIt is called “Asian Tiger” because of itsBlack and white striped legsSmall black and white bodyA distinctive single white stripe runs the length of the backHowever, it can still be confused with other Aedes species such asAe. pseudoalbopictus and Ae. scutellarisAe. albopictusAe. scutellaris

4. Presence and ActivityAe. albopictus is active the whole-year round in warm humid climates.Originally from tropical and sub-tropical regions, it can also adapt itself to live in cooler regions.It is considered as one of the “World’s Worst Invasive Species” by the Global Invasive Species Database.One cause of the mosquito’s wide area of invasion was due to the international tire trade which transported dormant mosquito eggs.The mosquito is able to survive in a wide range of habitats including cold mountainous areas. It bites from dawn to dusk.

5. Ae. albopictus Geographical Distribution

6. DiseasesAe. albopictus is known to be a competent lab vector of more than 30 virusesDiseases transmitted are:Dengue feverChikungunya feverEaster Equine EncephalitisWest Nile Virus feverYellow fever virusAe. albopictus is considered secondary vector of the dengue virus.Dengue virusChikungunya virusWest Nile virusYellow fever virus

7. Ae. albopictus in three viewslateraldorsalposterior

8. ReferencesPests and Diseases Image LibraryAedes albopictus in WikipediaGlobal Invasive Species Database“First record of Stegomyiaalbopicta in Germany,” German Mosquito Control Association, et al., 2008 PDFThe Names of European Mosquitoes: Part 7. PDFAsian Tiger Mosquito, Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias