CONCORD — The yellow fever mosquito, an invasive species that bites during the day, has been confirmed in Contra Costa County, the Mosquito and Vector Control District said Friday.
The district, which found the first signs of the breed earlier this week, is asking the public to report encounters with the aggressive mosquito, which typically bites around the legs and ankles. It is small and black, with white stripes on its back and legs.
“In areas with established populations, particularly in Southern and Central California, these mosquitos have changed the quality of life,” Steve Schutz, the district’s scientific programs director, said in a press release.
The mosquito can transmit several dangerous diseases to people when it bites, including dengue fever and Zika virus, Schutz said.
“They are well-adapted to living in small water-filled containers like plant saucers in urban and suburban backyards,” he said.