Asian tiger mosquito
Aedes albopictus
Quick answer
The Asian tiger mosquito is a black-and-white striped, aggressive daytime biter that has spread across much of the eastern and southern U.S. It breeds in small containers like its cousin Aedes aegypti but tolerates cooler climates and bites a wider range of animals. It can transmit dengue, chikungunya, and Zika. Note: it is less CO₂-responsive than Aedes aegypti or Culex, so a CO₂ trap catches it less efficiently — source reduction matters even more for this species.
Biology & identification
Easily recognized by a single white stripe down the center of a black thorax and white-banded legs. Like Aedes aegypti it is a container-breeder with desiccation-resistant eggs, but it is more cold-tolerant (its eggs can overwinter via diapause), which is why it has colonized temperate regions as far north as the U.S. mid-Atlantic and lower Midwest.
It is more of a generalist feeder — biting humans readily but also dogs, deer, birds, and other mammals — and is strongly associated with shaded, vegetated suburban yards, where it rests in low vegetation. Larvae develop in roughly 7–10 days in warm weather.
Flight range is short; it is very much a "bred in your yard" mosquito.
Peak activity — when it bites
Diurnal, biting throughout the day in shade with a characteristic aggressive peak in the late afternoon to dusk.
It is notorious for relentless daytime biting around the ankles in gardens and yards. Again: a daytime species, not a dusk-only one.
Why it bites — host-seeking
Females need blood for egg development. They host-seek by CO₂, heat, and skin odor like all mosquitoes.
But Aedes albopictus is documented as comparatively less responsive to CO₂ and more reliant on close-range visual and skin-odor cues — consistent with its habit of ambushing hosts from nearby vegetation rather than tracking long plumes.
How the CO₂ trap targets it
The honest weak case — and one the don’t-overclaim list specifically calls out. Because Aedes albopictus is less CO₂-responsive, a CO₂ + heat trap targets it less efficiently than it targets Aedes aegypti or Culex.
The trap still removes responding females and reduces overall pressure, but for this species weekly source reduction and daytime skin repellent carry more of the load. We do not claim the trap "kills all species equally" — it does not, and albopictus is the reason.
The honest limit
Aedes albopictus is less CO₂-responsive than Aedes aegypti or Culex, so a CO₂ + heat trap catches it less efficiently. The trap still reduces overall biting pressure, but for this species weekly source reduction and daytime skin repellent carry more of the load. We do not claim the trap kills every species equally — it does not.
Range & vector status
Competent vector of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika (and dog heartworm); an important nuisance and secondary vector across the eastern and southern U.S.
Its cold tolerance makes it the dominant container Aedes in many temperate metros. This is factual vector status — no disease-prevention claim.
Sources
- U.S. CDC, Aedes albopictus distribution and behavior.link pending verification
- Hawley, W.A. (1988), "The biology of Aedes albopictus," Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association Suppl. 1:1–39.link pending verification
- Literature on reduced CO₂ responsiveness / trap efficiency for Aedes albopictus.link pending verification
Common questions
Why does a CO₂ trap catch fewer Asian tiger mosquitoes?
Aedes albopictus is comparatively less responsive to CO₂ than Aedes aegypti or Culex, relying more on close-range visual and skin-odor cues. A CO₂ trap still removes responding females, but for this species weekly source reduction and skin repellent do more of the work.
When does the Asian tiger mosquito bite?
It is an aggressive daytime biter, active in shade all day with a sharp peak in the late afternoon to dusk — famous for biting ankles in gardens and yards.
How is the Asian tiger mosquito identified?
By a single bold white stripe running down the center of a black thorax, plus white-banded legs.