O.C Vector Control News Mission Viejo
As if West Nile virus wasn’t enough for Mission Viejo residents to worry about. A new species of mosquito has invaded and become established in neighboring Los Angeles County. This mosquito is not a strong flier but an excellent hitch-hiker. The eggs of this mosquito species can persist out of water for months, perhaps for years. They will hatch the next time it rains, or the sprinklers come on and inundates the eggs again. Eggs attached to a plant or other items brought here from Los Angeles County will almost certainly be the method of introduction.
The Asian Tiger Mosquito can vector some serious diseases like Yellow fever, Dengue fever and Chikungunya fever. These are small black and white mosquitoes. It is only a matter of time, they have the potential to become a serious public health threat.
They are day biters, rather than feeding at dawn and dusk. If you are being bitten by mosquitoes in the middle of the day, call OCMVCD immediately at (714) 971-2421
On two earlier occasions the OCMVCD eliminated populations of the Asian Tiger Mosquito 
thanks to early detection and reporting by Orange County residents The earlier infestations originated in China and Hawaii. With the mosquitoes established in Los Angeles County we can expect a steady stream of hitch hikers from now on.
