In San José, the unwelcome buzz of the non-native Aedes aegypti mosquito has been detected, prompting local vector control agencies to take swift action. According to the County of Santa Clara Vector Control District, these invasive pests, known carriers of diseases like dengue and yellow fever, were found near Oak Hill Funeral Home & Memorial Park. The district is launching an eradication campaign to avert the establishment of a permanent mosquito population.
The district has identified only two Aedes aegypti mosquitoes near Oak Hill. However, this discovery follows ongoing efforts to eliminate these insects from parts of East San José, Gilroy, and Santa Clara. The district's staff are set to implement an eradication plan that includes trapping, property inspections for mosquito larvae, and potential breeding grounds such as standing water. These activities will be coupled with the application of pesticides. As part of their evolving strategy, methods may be escalated to backpack spraying and wide area larvicide treatments using truck-mounted equipment, as described in a Santa Clara County news release.
These day-biting mosquitoes in San José heighten public health concerns, especially since the species behave differently from native mosquitoes, which are most active at dusk and dawn. The invasive Aedes aegypti is distinguished by its quarter-inch size and distinctive black and white stripes. It is known to be a highly aggressive insect that is active throughout the day. According to the County of Santa Clara, the species is a "container breeder," preferring tiny, man-made water sources to lay eggs, which can survive without water for over a year. This calls for residents to take preventive measures such as eliminating standing water from containers on their property and ensuring screens on windows and doors are intact.
Intensified mosquito activity, with climate change as a backdrop, has led to detecting Aedes aegypti in four Bay Area counties, though it has not yet been established. "We ask for the community’s help in preventing Aedes aegypti from becoming established in Santa Clara County," Edgar Nolasco, director of the County of Santa Clara Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency, said, as per the County of Santa Clara. Santa Clara.
