CREATURE FEATURE

YELLOW FEVER MOSQUITO

The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, originated in Africa, where it evolved from a forest-dwelling ancestor that still persists in parts of the continent. That ancestor prefers to lay eggs in natural tree holes and feed on non-human animals.

At some point, Aedes aegypti adapted to human environments—beginning to breed in artificial containers close to people and developing a strong preference for human hosts. This shift made it ideally suited for travel, and it was introduced into the New World on European ships leaving West Africa. These ships carried enslaved people—and barrels of drinking water that also carried immature yellow fever mosquitoes.

Yellow fever existed in Africa before European contact. But once introduced to the Americas in the 1600s, it followed trade routes and sparked deadly epidemics, killing thousands through the early 1900s. It wasn’t until the mosquito was identified as the disease vector that control efforts began to succeed.

Eradication campaigns and a vaccine developed in the 1930s virtually eliminated yellow fever from the United States. Though Aedes aegypti has reached parts of Canada, it has not established populations there.

Like yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses also originated in Africa and circulated in non-human animals before adapting to human transmission by Aedes aegypti. Once adapted, they spread rapidly and caused outbreaks around the world.

Unlike yellow fever, no reliable vaccines exist yet for these diseases. That’s why controlling Aedes aegypti is essential—and why larval control must be a top priority.

Providing treated traps that mimic breeding sites but kill mosquito larvae is one of the most effective ways to reduce populations on a property. These traps interrupt the mosquito’s life cycle before adults can emerge.

To quickly knock down biting adults, apply a liquid residual insecticide with a backpack mist blower. Focus on resting sites—shady, secluded areas like foliage, eaves, and decks.

But long-term success starts at the larval stage. Treated traps aren’t just an add-on—they’re a frontline tool in the fight against Aedes aegypti.