CLEARFIELD — An invasive species introduced to southern Utah nearly a decade ago has now made its way to northern Utah.
An Aedes aegypti mosquito, commonly known as the “yellow fever mosquito,” was found at Bicentennial Park in Clearfield during routine mosquito monitoring on Oct. 8, Davis County Health Department officials announced Monday.
This is the first time the species has been found in Davis County.
The species is native to Egypt and is a “known vector of several viruses,” such as Zika, dengue fever and, as the name suggests, yellow fever, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasizes that areas where it is found do not pose a higher risk of spreading disease, but it does tend to spread viruses more than another invasive species found in the United States.
“Because Ae. aegypti mosquitoes live in close proximity to and prefer to feed on humans, they are more likely to spread these viruses than other types of mosquitoes,” the agency wrote in 2024.
The species is also known to bite people during the day, not just at dusk or dawn, usually near the ankles, Davis County health officials wrote Monday. It lays its eggs in small amounts of standing water, which may include water from unused containers, valve boxes, buckets, and planters, among other small aquatic spaces.
It generally does not fly far and prefers warm climates, they added. Although it is unclear how the species ended up in Davis County, the species has been regularly found in southern Utah since 2019.
Additional traps were placed and experts began conducting neighborhood checks after the species was discovered, said Greg White, director of the Mosquito Abatement District-Davis.
“No other invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitoes have been found at this time. Additional trapping and treatment will continue until colder weather sets in,” he said, adding that he believed it would be easier to attack the species while its population was low.
Davis County health officials are also notifying residents:
- Use mosquito repellent containing DEET or another EPA-registered repellent.
- Wear long sleeves and pants and make sure they are loose-fitting and light-colored to prevent stings.
- Eliminate all standing water in yards, regardless of size.
- Keep gutters clear of debris.
- Make sure the screens on the doors and windows of their home are in good condition, so that mosquitoes cannot get inside.
- Keep weeds and tall grass cut short.
Residents who see small, dark mosquitoes biting during the day should report them to Mosquito Abatement District-Davis by calling 801-544-3736.
“Currently, these illnesses are typically associated with travel,” said Brian Hatch, director of the Davis County Health Department. “The presence of this type of mosquito in our community raises the possibility that these diseases are being transmitted locally – a trend that is already emerging in some areas of the United States.”
The key takeaways from this article were generated with the help of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article itself is solely written by humans.
Gn Health
