This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Deadly Asian Tiger Mosquito Approaching Bay Area

Asian Tiger Mosquito described as a public health "game changer." Officials say the deadly bug, already spotted in Southern California, is difficult to contain.

Bay Area public health officials are openly expressing concern that a deadly mosquito population that’s already been spotted in Southern California could soon pop up near you, KCBS reports.

The Asian Tiger Mosquito is an efficient carrier of Dengue Fever and Chikungunya, among other deadly viruses, Acting Director of the Santa Clara County Vector Control District Russ Parman told KCBS.

Parman told KCBS that vector control officials are taking measures to keep the dangerous bugs from entering the Bay Area, but he acknowledged that is a very difficult mosquito population to contain.

Find out what's happening in Half Moon Baywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“The Asian Tiger Mosquito is a real game changer,” Parman told KCBS. “That’s because it’s a container breeder – which means it will breed in any container – from a saucer with a quarter inch of water, to potted plants, anything that holds water.”

The Asian Tiger Mosquito is believed to have entered the United States in 1985 inadvertently with tires imported from Asia.

Find out what's happening in Half Moon Baywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

It is smaller than most mosquitoes typically found in the Bay Area, with distinctive white line that runs down its spine (invasive.org features a photo gallery of the deadly bug).

Santa Clarita Valley News reports an Asian Tiger Mosquito infestation was discovered earlier this week in the City of South El Monte.

Got Patch? Sign up for our newsletter by clicking on the "Patch Newsletter" link on the top right of our homepage.

To receive news feeds about Half Moon Bay and the unincorporated Coastside between Montara and Pescadero, visit Half Moon Bay Patch on Facebook and "like" us here. Follow us on Twitter here.

Want to blog for us? Click here.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?