Invasive Asian tiger mosquitoes found in La Cañada

Asian tiger mosquitoes have been discovered in La Cañada Flintridge, according to City Manager Mark Alexander. He said City Hall was notified of the discovery Wednesday by the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District.

The black-and-white mosquitoes, one of three invasive species of the insect that have arrived in recent years in the Southland, were found in a neighborhood near Hillard and Fairmount avenues, Alexander said.

Previously, the Asian tiger mosquito was confirmed in the communities of Avocado Heights, Elysian Valley, Pico Rivera, Silver Lake, South El Monte, South Whittier and Whittier. They were first detected in El Monte in 2011, according to the Los Angeles Times, and are believed to have arrived in California in shipments of bamboo plants that came from Southeast Asia.

“The Asian tiger mosquito currently poses the biggest health risk in Los Angeles County because they have taken a broad hold of our communities and have rapidly expanded in less than four years,” according to the vector control district’s website. They and the yellow fever mosquito can transmit denge, yellow fever and chikungunya viruses.

The district asks that those who encounter daytime-biting mosquitoes call (562) 944-9656 to report them, or log onto ReportMosquitoes.org. Free treatment and service is available.

To discourage the mosquitoes, residents are advised to make sure that there is no standing water around their properties, as the insects can lay their eggs in stagnant water sources, even in amounts as small as a bottle cap. When outdoors, wear insect repellent that contains DEET, Picaridin, IR 3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus, the district advises.

For more information, visit glacvcd.org.

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Carol Cormaci, carol.cormaci@latimes.com

Twitter: @CarolCormaci