Invasive mosquitos found in E. Palmdale
PALMDALE — Officials are warning of a major uptick in an invasive mosquito species, especially on Palmdale’s east side, known to carry tropical diseases.
The Aedes mosquitos were found in traps in the area of Avenue Q and 40th Street East a few weeks ago, Brenna Bates-Grubb, Community Outreach specialist with the Antelope Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District, said.
Additional trapping has shown them moving southwest, toward 30th Street East and Avenue R, with the latest found near 30th Street East and Palmdale Boulevard.
“It’s a consistent move, which means they’re going pretty much house-to-house,” she said. “They don’t move very far from where they’re born.”
The Aedes mosquito is not native to the area but was first found here in Oc-tober 2018. It was traced to Los Angeles.
The mosquitos are known to carry different diseases than our native mosquitos, including yellow fever (they are sometimes known as yellow fever mosquitos), dengue fever, chikungunya and zika virus, according to officials.
None of these diseases have yet been found in the Antelope Valley or California, Bates-Grubb said.
These mosquitos are black-and-white and are closely associated with human dwellings.
Unlike other mosquitos in the area, which generally bite at dusk and dawn, Aedes mosquitos actively pursue people throughout the day. They tend to bite below the knees.
Once the District finds a
hot spot, technicians visit the area and look for potential water sources for breeding and help eliminate them. Working with the City of Palmdale, they also send postcards to all residences within 400 feet to inform them of the necessity of making sure their yards are free of anything that may hold even a very small amount of water.
The Aedes mosquitos can breed in the smallest of wet areas, so it is important to be vigilant about keeping all areas dry and removing anything that may trap water.
“We’ve even found Aedes breeding in bottle caps,” Bates-Grubb said.
When mosquitos are found, the District also uses traps with an insecticide inside, which the mosquitos then spread.
“We’re able to kind of put a little damper on it, but clearly it’s really up to the people in that area to play close attention and try to clean their yards and eliminate these little tiny sources where they can lay their eggs,” she said.
Also of concern is the native Culex mosquito, which can transmit West Nile virus. These mosquitos generally bite during dusk and dawn and are not as aggressive as the Aedes variety.
There have been no cases of West Nile found this year, Bates-Grubb said. The District traps weekly to test for the disease.
If you notice and abundance of day biting mosquitos, report them to the District by calling 661-942-2917.