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LANSING, MI – The Asian tiger mosquito was first identified in Wayne County in 2021.
Officials from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Wayne County Health Department confirmed the presence of the invasive species this week.
The Asian tiger mosquito was first discovered in Michigan in 2017, in an industrial area in Livonia. The Asian tiger mosquito was then found in 2018 and 2020 – both occurrences being in Wayne County.
Scientifically identified as Aedes albopictus, the mosquito, with Aedes aegypti (the yellow fever mosquito) can transmit viruses such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika to humans.
These mosquitoes are widespread from the tropics to temperate regions of the globe, including many parts of the United States. They don’t occur naturally in Michigan, where winters are usually too harsh for their survival.
However, warming climate trends favor the spread of these mosquitoes to regions further north, according to the MDHHS.
“Although we have not had any illnesses associated with these mosquito species in Michigan, it is important to take precautions as other mosquitoes can transmit viruses such as West Nile virus and equine encephalitis. ‘Is to humans,’ said Dr Mary Grace Stobierski, MDHHS Manager of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases.
“The recent heavy rains and flooding have resulted in a general increase in mosquito activity statewide, so we urge Michiganders to take precautions such as using an insect repellent registered by the EPA at the outside.”
The Asian tiger mosquito is considered established in many states in the Midwest, including Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. Sometimes mosquitoes travel in commercial products shipped from the states where they are currently established.
This is likely how mosquitoes have appeared in Wayne County in recent years, according to the MDHHS. These invasive daytime biting mosquitoes breed in containers where water collects, such as old tires, gutters, and flower pots.
The MDHHS has partnered with local health departments in Wayne and 23 other Michigan counties to monitor the two mosquito species that may carry Zika and other tropical viruses. Ongoing monitoring suggests that breeding populations did not survive Michigan winters.
For more information on mosquito-borne viruses and mosquito surveillance in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/emergingdiseases.
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