Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are not native to San Mateo
County, so the District’s goal is to completely eradicate them
from our county. This is a difficult task, but to date the
District has been able to keep the Aedes aegypti
population very small and prevent these mosquitoes from spreading
beyond the site of their initial introduction in Menlo Park.
A detection (as designated by a colored star on the Aedes
aegypti maps below) means that one or more Aedes aegypti
adults, larvae, or eggs was found at that site. The
accompanying tables describe what was found at each detection -
eggs, larvae, or adults.
The year-to-date surveillance report describes the number of each
type of trap used and the number and species of mosquito
collected in each trap. For more information about the traps used
to detect Aedes aegypti, see Finding Aedes
aegypti Mosquitoes.
The District conducts intensive surveillance for invasive Aedes
mosquitoes during the summer months. The surveillance program
mainly targets two container-breeding species, Aedes aegypti and
Aedes albopictus, which have been increasing their range within
California over the last several years. This summer, Ae. aegypti
and Ae. albopictus were detected for the first time in Shasta
County. The presence of these mosquitoes is highly undesirable
because they are aggressive human biters and also transmit
diseases including dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika.
The seasonal invasive Aedes surveillance primarily
targets the detection of two mosquito species that have been
expanding their range in California, Aedes aegypti, and
Aedes albopictus. The presence of these mosquitoes is
highly undesirable because they are aggressive human biters and
also transmit diseases including dengue, chikungunya, yellow
fever and Zika. From 2013-2015, the District supressed
Ae. aegypti in a small area of Menlo Park, but no
invasive Aedes have been detected since August 2015.
Note: as of Sept. 9, 2016, there have been no
additional invasive Aedes detections since May 2015.
The map below shows the location of each detection of invasive
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in San Mateo County. So far,
Aedes aegypti has been detected eight times in 2015, all
in the neighborhood of Menlo Park where it was found last year.
Each of these detections has been in the aquatic stages; so far
no adult Aedes aegypti mosquitoes have been found in San
Mateo County in 2015.
This map (click for larger version) shows the location of the 30
ovicup mosquito surveillance traps placed in Menlo Park. These
traps are used to monitor for the presence of Aedes
aegypti and other invasive mosquito species.
To date, District laboratory staff have identified four samples
of immature Aedes aegypti mosquitoes collected in
Menlo Park. The samples were collected near the site of previous
years’ detections.
To see a map of all Aedes aegypti detections since 2013,
click the file below.
