Science/Tech

Asian Tiger Mosquitoes Descending in New Jersey: How to Get Rid of Them?

By Jennifer Broderick | Update Date: Jun 26, 2013 02:19 AM EDT

New Jersey is just having one of those years. First, thousands of nosiy cicadas descended upon the city, and now Asian Tiger mosquitoes have made their way to New Jersey just in time for summer.

The Tiger mosquito gets its name due to its black-and-white stripes on its body. The Aedes albopictus was first brought to Texas in a shipment of tires - which are notorious for holding the standing water that mosquitoes require for breeding, the Wall Street Journal reports.

These Asian Tiger mosquitoes are different from other types of mosquitoes largely due to the fact that they bite all day long, from morning until night. It's victims are not just humans, but they also bite dogs, cats, birds and other animals.

"Part of the reason it is called 'tiger' is also because it is very aggressive," Dina Fonseca, associate professor of entomology at Rutgers University, told the Journal. "You can try and swat it all you want, but once it's on you, it doesn't let go."

Pete Rendine, the chief inspector for mosquito control at the Bergen County Public Works Department, said the bug infestations "are the worst, nuisance-wise, because they are adapting to our climate." But, there is hope. Tiger mosquitoes grow in still water, and Rendine urges everyone to not let water sit out for longer than five days as that is how long it takes from the larvae to become an adult.

"This is how you kill them," Rendine said, as he dumps cup of water out onto the ground. "That's it. That's all there is to it. Without water, they die." Essentially, do not let any water be stagnant for five days, as that is how long the larvae take to develop into fully grown adults and continue their cycle.

"If everybody did their part, this mosquito could be eliminated," Green said. 

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