Santa Clara County officials announced Thursday that an invasive mosquito species was found at a fourth location in San Jose, in response to a news release.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito is a non-native species known for aggressive biting in the course of the day and may transmit various diseases. The mosquito was found at six locations throughout Santa Clara County. It was most recently present in San Jose around Cortez Avenue and Orlando Drive.
“The threat of Aedes aegypti is increasing, and we must all help now to prevent this day-biting mosquito from establishing itself in Santa Clara County,” said Edgar Nolasco, director of the Santa Clara County Department of Consumer Affairs and Environmental Protection. “In the interest of public health, businesses and residents must check their properties for standing water sources and remove them. And we need people living in areas where this invasive mosquito has been found to work with county staff and give them the opportunity to inspect their properties.”
The mosquito is a few quarter of an inch in size and will be identified by the black and white stripes on its back and legs. They are likely to feed only on humans and stay inside about 500 feet of their birthplace.
The mosquito was found at locations in San Jose near Oak Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Park, in addition to in Santa Clara, Gilroy and East San Jose. County officials attributed the increased mosquito activity to warmer temperatures brought on by climate change.
Authorities said Aedes aegypti mosquitoes persist in 19 California counties, primarily within the Central Valley and Southern California. However, the presence of the mosquitoes is observed but not proven in 4 Bay Area counties.
District officials warned that the mosquito can transmit diseases corresponding to dengue, chikungunya, Zika and yellow fever. In 2024, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported 12 cases of locally acquired dengue.
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes don’t require much water to breed and are likely to lay eggs just above the water line in small, man-made water sources corresponding to buckets, pet bowls, fountains and birdbaths, flower pots and saucers, and old tires. In dry conditions the eggs can survive for greater than a 12 months.
The county's efforts to forestall the establishment of a everlasting population of the invasive mosquitoes include trapping adult mosquitoes, inspecting properties to search out mosquito larvae and habitats, and treating any identified larvae with pesticides.
The county said it might soon treat the world around Cortez Avenue and Orlando Drive with a series of large-scale larvicide sprays conducted with truck-mounted equipment; Officials would also use mosquito control treatments on adults if crucial. The county has previously sprayed pesticides in neighborhoods where mosquitoes potentially carrying West Nile virus were found.
County officials advised residents to guard themselves from mosquito bites by applying insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts, pants, socks and shoes on days when mosquitoes are most lively, and ensuring window and door screens are in good condition.
They also beneficial that rain barrels, cisterns and irrigation canals be properly screened to forestall mosquito access. repairing leaky faucets and broken sprinkler heads; Avoiding overwatering of lawns and plants; Remove standing water and ensure water levels in swimming pools allow for correct circulation and filtration. Residents were also instructed to wash and scrub all containers with hot soapy water or bleach to remove any Aedes aegypti eggs and to permit them to dry for no less than a day.
As county officials visit neighborhoods to treat mosquitoes, they advised residents to permit staff access to their properties for inspection and treatment and to report day-biting mosquitoes to the Vector Control District at 408-918-4770 or vectorinfo@cep.sccgov.org .
The county's Vector Control District will hold a community meeting at Anthony Dorsa Elementary School, 1290 Bal Harbor Way in San Jose, on November 18 at 6:30 p.m.
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