Zika Virus
Prevalence: High
Risk 5/5
Yellow Fever Mosquito
Aedes aegypti · “The Urban Mosquito”
Small, dark mosquito with white markings on legs and body. Highly adapted to urban environments. Found indoors and outdoors, prefers shaded areas. Active during daylight, especially dawn and dusk.
Disease risks
Dengue Fever
Prevalence: High
Yellow Fever
Prevalence: Low in US
Chikungunya
Prevalence: Moderate
How to identify
- Size
- 4-7mm (small)
- Color
- Dark brown to black with white/silver markings
- Distinctive features
- White stripe down center of thorax, white rings on legs and abdomen
- Resting posture
- Head-down posture
- Prefers
- Humans primarily
- Pain level
- High (causes immediate pain)
- Persistence
- Very persistent, will bite multiple times
- Transmission
- Most efficient disease vector of all mosquitoes
What actually works
Pyrethroid Spray Treatment
Professional-grade synthetic pyrethroid insecticide applied by licensed technicians. Fast-acting, EPA-approved, effective against adult mosquitoes.
Perimeter Barrier Spray
Professional application of insecticide around property perimeter. Creates a 'moat' of protection that kills mosquitoes attempting to enter treated areas.
Habitat Elimination (Source Control)
Removal and treatment of breeding sites. Professional inspection identifies and eliminates standing water where mosquitoes lay eggs.
Insect Growth Regulator (IGR)
Methoprene or pyriproxyfen application that prevents mosquito larvae from developing into adults. Chemical that mimics juvenile hormone.
Mosquito Dunks (DIY Bti)
Donut-shaped tablets containing Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis. Drop into standing water to eliminate mosquito larvae.
Cities where Yellow Fever Mosquito is active
Los Angeles, CaliforniaHouston, TexasPhoenix, ArizonaSan Antonio, TexasSan Diego, CaliforniaDallas, TexasSan Jose, CaliforniaAustin, TexasJacksonville, FloridaFort Worth, TexasCharlotte, North CarolinaSan Francisco, CaliforniaCobb County, GeorgiaEl Paso, TexasTucson, ArizonaFresno, CaliforniaSacramento, CaliforniaAtlanta, Georgia
Fun fact
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can travel up to 40 miles in a single lifetime, spreading disease across entire regions.