New Michigan Invasive Species: The 'Yellow Fever' Mosquito

Just when you thought Michigan's mutant mosquitoes couldn't get any worse, here comes news that we now have tropical mosquitoes. Yes, the Saginaw County Mosquito Abatement Commission has just confirmed the presence of the Aedes aegypti, also known as the yellow fever mosquito.

What Is Aedes aegypti—and Why You Should Care

Michigan State University (MSU) has an entire program dedicated to combating this bug worldwide. Not yet listed among the Michigan's invasive insect species, these little flying blood suckers are known to serve as a disease delivery system, famous for spreading Zika, Dengue, and Chikungunya. Good. Great. Grand. Wonderful.

No Signs of Zika, Dengue, or Yellow Fever

Photo by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases on Unsplash

Before you start panic buying and clear every shelf in Michigan of DEET, know that health officials have stated that none of the above diseases have been found. More good news? They’ve only spotted one specimen so far.

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The theory is that this lonely yellow fever mosquito hitched a ride on a boat tarp, tire, or some other souvenir from a Florida trip. To date, no breeding grounds have been found.

Will They Survive Michigan Winters?

Photo by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases on Unsplash

If there is more than one, and they've found a place to lay some eggs for the next generation of yellow fever mosquitoes in Michigan, they likely won't survive our winter. So, worst case scenario, we spend the summer of 2025 dodging these little flying vampires and wait for the icy off-season to kill them off.

What Saginaw County Is Doing—and What You Can Do

In the meantime, the Saginaw County Mosquito Abatement Commission will keep spraying. They also recommend wearing bug spray, wearing long sleeves on 90-degree-plus days (which is likely to happen), checking your screens, and avoiding the "Mosquito Happy Hour," which typically occurs around dusk.

The National Library of Medicine describes the Aedes aegypti mosquito as a "black and white" striped bug that doesn't stray too far away from humans, as we are their favorite meal. Good. Great. Grand. Wonderful. I'll see you in the bug spray aisle. I'll be the one wearing long sleeves on a 100-degree day.

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Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

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Gallery Credit: Scott Clow