Invasive Mosquito Detected In Castro Valley For First Time: Officials

CASTRO VALLEY, CA — A dangerous and invasive species of mosquitoes has been detected for the first time in Castro Valley, county officials said.

The mosquito, known as Aedes aegypti, was detected on Monday in the area between Norbridge and Forest avenues and Sapphire Street.

This prompted officials with the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District to conduct a larval treatment in the area on Thursday.

"We detected this mosquito in back-to-back traps in the area, indicating that Aedes aegypti has found standing water sites to reproduce," Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District Operations Director Erick Gaona said in a statement. " Our goal is to deliver the treatment into cryptic water sources that are difficult for our staff to access."

Aedes aegypti are also known as ankle biters. The mosquito can transmit diseases endemic in tropical regions, such as dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever.

SEE ALSO: Why Google Wants To Release 32M Mosquitoes Across CA

The aggressive Aedes aegypti are not native to California.

Most people get dengue by traveling to other countries where the disease is more prevalent and the ankle-biter mosquito thrives, which includes but is not limited to South Asia and the Caribbean, according to the CDC.

Over the last several years, however, they have become established in Southern California. Local transmission of dengue has occurred in California for the first time over the last two years, thanks to the ankle-biter mosquito.

Now, they're spreading across the state, prompting vector control officials to try aggressive methods to contain them.

"The quickest way to prevent this annoying and potentially dangerous mosquito species from becoming established is to act now," Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District General Manager Ryan Clausnitzer said in a statement earlier this year. "We urge residents to grant yard access so we can ensure no one is accidentally breeding mosquitoes."

The prevalence of the mosqutio has even prompted Google to look into ways to eliminate the deadly threat invading the Golden State.

Google is seeking federal approval to release 32 million mosquitoes in California, part of an experimental technique they've called the "Debug Project."

The tech giant's ambitious project has scientists and engineers working to produce sterilized male mosquitoes, specifically the Aedes aegypti or 'ankle biter,' using a naturally occurring bacterium called Wolbachia.

Only female mosquitoes bite. By producing sterile male mosquitoes and releasing them into the wild, the female mosquitoes won't be able to mate, curbing the population.

In Castro Valley, meanwhile, officials are asking for community members to step up and help maintain effective mosquito control.

County officials said community members can take the following steps to help:

• Report mosquito activity in your neighborhood to the District.
• Eliminate standing water where mosquitoes breed, including outdoor containers, plants, unmaintained swimming pools, and other hidden sources.
• Protect yourself from mosquito bites by wearing long, loose-fitting clothing, using EPA-registered insect repellent, and ensuring window and door screens are in good repair.