Asian+tiger+mosquito

=__ General Information  __= =__ Detailed Description  __= · The unborn Asian tiger mosquitoes spend the winter in the egg stage. The mosquito starts out in an artificial water-filled cavity that was filled during the next spring or summer and they are held in a hole in a tree or in an old tire. After the mosquito hatches, the mosquito larvae swim around the water for multiple days. It is a fully grown Asian tiger mosquito in only about ten days. After it is fully grown, it starts to morph into comma-shaped pupae. After this stage is complete, the mosquito grows into a fully grown adult. Once the developmental stage is complete, it could emerge from the pupae. This could take as little as ten to fourteen days after hatching in the hot weather. (3)  ·  The Asian tiger mosquitoes feed on different things depending on their gender. The male mosquitoes do not bite other organisms but they do feed on plant juices. Before the mosquito becomes an adult and it is still larvae, it feeds on small bits of debris and bacteria floating around in the water. Female mosquitoes seek the blood from other organisms to help their eggs develop. They always feed during the day and they are also attracted to the same things that any other type of mosquito is attracted to (perspiration, dark clothing, etc.). The female takes between four to five days to lay her eggs after she has obtained the proper amount of blood. (3) This organism is so successful because it is not as easy to kill as other mosquitoes. Also, it can feed on the same person multiple times. Regular mosquitoes would feed on one person but then move on rather then stick around. When the Asian tiger mosquito bites, the bite usually goes unnoticed because their bites are not bothersome. (4) =__ Habitat and Distribution  __= · The mosquito is moving quickly south because, like most mosquitoes, it adapts better in warm, humid climates. It lives in the Southeast Asian area and it also lives in different parts in Italy. It keeps moving south and it has spread as far as Naples so far. It was introduced to Hawaii in the late 1800s and also the Continental United States in 1985. It has spread to over twenty different states since then. (1) (2) (3) =__Impacts__= - The Asian tiger mosquito is known to carry many different diseases in certain areas. It has been found to carry West Nile virus and LaCrosse encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) viruses around Asia and there have been a few cases in the United States as well. As of right now, it is not a major disease carrier for the United States. (3) - When the Asian tiger mosquito populates an area, it makes it very unhealthy for other organisms to live in. They infect any still water with their larvae and the females bite whatever whenever they get hungry. They are like any other mosquito, only more powerful in different ways.(4)
 * Scientific name: Aedes albopictus. (1) [[image:http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:8fd9KWHIR_Gr5M:http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/insect/images/tigermos.jpg width="148" height="119" align="right" caption="The Asian tiger mosquito"]]
 * The Asian tiger mosquito is a black and white parasite that grows to be about ¼ inches long. It got its tiger name because of the pattern shown on its body. It has a white stripe that falls down the center of its body and its legs are also striped black and white. (3)

=__ History  __= · The Asian tiger mosquito originated from Southeast Asia and it keeps spreading. The mosquito was brought to Italy around the year 2001 at the port of Genoa. They were transported on a boat filled with secondhand tires from Southeast Asia and they are quickly adapting to the hot climate around the area. (1) =__  Control Measures  __= · Many people have taken measures to control the population of Asian tiger mosquitoes in their area or around their own house. Some ways to reduce the amount of mosquitoes in an area is to empty or reduce the amount of any stagnant water areas in a community and pay close attention to any tires that are filled with water. By emptying them, you are eliminating the amount of breeding sources for the mosquitoes. Insecticides that were labeled by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are used to control Asian tiger mosquito larvae. =__ Works Cited  __= 1 Nadeau, Barbie. "The buzzing sound of summer.(Asian tiger mosquito aggressive in Rome)." //Newsweek International.// (July 5, 2004): 29. //Student// //Resource Center// //- Gold//. Gale. Stroudsburg High School. 12 Nov. 2008 . 2 __United States Department of Agriculture__. 19 Nov. 2008 . 3 __Maryland Department of Agriculture__. 19 Nov. 2008 . 4 __Maryland Department of Agriculture__. 19 Nov. 2008 .