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Asian Tiger MosquitoAedes albopictus

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Asian Tiger Mosquito profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 53 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Aedes albopictus. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysNot Evaluated
The source saysIUCN Red List Not EvaluatedNote: ADW states Not Evaluated; the prefetch found no IUCN assessment DOI and GBIF holds no category for Aedes albopictus, so no IUCN reference is cited.
The page saysNative to eastern Asia and now introduced to Europe, Africa and the Americas
The source saysare native to Eastern Asia, stretching into India, Japan, and several islands in the Pacific (Australasia).Note: stats.habitat; introduced half below
The page saysintroduced to Europe, Africa and the Americas
The source saysthe species has spread to Italy and other regions in the Mediterranean basin, as well as parts of Africa, Madagascar, Brazil, Central America, the Caribbean, and most of the United StatesNote: stats.habitat
The page saysbreeds in tyres, bird baths and clogged gutters
The source saysIt is perhaps most well known for utilizing tires, but it has since adapted the ability to develop in a range of natural and artificial areas including bird baths, clogged gutters, and litter.Note: stats.habitat; the larvae grow in tyres, bird baths and clogged gutters (body)
The page saysFemales drink blood, preferring mammals, to make eggs
The source saysThe females also feed on these juices, but need a blood meal to develop eggs. ... Aedes albopictus is an opportunistic feeder but prefers mammals above all else.Note: stats.diet
The page saysboth sexes drink nectar and plant juices
The source saysMales of the species are not parasitic. They feed on nectars and sugar-rich plant juices. The females also feed on these juicesNote: stats.diet
The page saysMales live on nectar and sugary plant juices. Females need a blood meal to develop their eggs
The source saysThey feed on nectars and sugar-rich plant juices. The females also feed on these juices, but need a blood meal to develop eggs.Note: body
The page saysthe eggs hatch once rising water covers them
The source sayswill hatch when water levels rise above the location of the egg, submerging it.
The page saysAnimal Diversity Web gives adults an average length of 4 mm.
The source saysAverage length 4 mm 0.16 inNote: ADW is old; used for size only
The page sayswhich earns the tiger name
The source saysreceived its common name because of its distinguishable pattern of white and black stripes along it's palpus and tarsi.
The page saysMales have bushy antennae with receptors that let them hear the whine of a female
The source saysAntennae contain auditory receptors that allow the males to hear the whine of females which helps to locate them.Note: bushy: 'the antennae ... which are much bushier in the males'
The page saysthey gather in swarms a few feet off the ground
The source saysMales will form leks, or swarms, a few feet off the ground, which will attract females.
The page saysMating happens in flight and lasts 5 to 15 seconds.
The source saysMating will occur in flight and last for 5 to 15 seconds.
The page saysFour Millimetres of Stripes
The source saysAverage length 4 mm 0.16 inNote: heading
The page saysmales use bushy antennae to hear the whine of a female
The source saysAntennae contain auditory receptors that allow the males to hear the whine of females which helps to locate them.Note: vibe.reason; same quote as the body sentence "Males have bushy antennae with receptors that let them hear the whine of a femal"
The page saysas they swarm
The source saysMales will form leks, or swarms, a few feet off the ground, which will attract females.Note: vibe.reason; same quote as the body sentence "they gather in swarms a few feet off the ground"

Source
02

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

Aedes albopictus - Factsheet for experts. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

The page saysrode used tyres
The source saysfacilitated by human activities, in particular the movement of used tyresNote: tagline; the egg half is the diapause and -10 °C claims below
The page saysDrought-resistant eggs that, in European populations, pause through winter and survived a -10 °C cold spell
The source saysDiapausing eggs of European Ae. albopictus have been shown to be able to survive a cold spell of -10oCNote: stats.superpower
The page saysFemales lay drought-resistant eggs above the water line.
The source saysThe drought-resistant eggs are laid above the water line.
The page saysbegan in the tropical forests of South-East Asia
The source saysHaving originated in tropical forests of South-East Asia, Ae. albopictus has spread globally.
The page saysIn cooler regions, eggs laid in late summer or early autumn, as daylight hours shrink, enter a winter pause.
The source saysTemperate populations are affected by seasonal temperature and photoperiodicity and, in response to these factors, can overwinter by producing eggs that undergo a winter diapause. ... Eggs, laid during late summer or early autumn when daylight hours are reducing, enter facultative diapauseNote: diapause explained as the winter pause in the body
The page sayseggs from European populations, once in diapause, came through a -10 °C cold snap, while eggs from tropical populations could only take -2 °C
The source saysDiapausing eggs of European Ae. albopictus have been shown to be able to survive a cold spell of -10oC, whereas eggs of tropical Ae. albopictus could only survive -2oC.
The page saysThey are black with white scale patches on the legs, which earns the tiger name
The source saysAedes albopictus adults are relatively small and show a black and white pattern due to the presence of white/silver scale patches against a black background on the legs and other parts of the body.Note: the tiger name from ADW: received its common name because of its distinguishable pattern of white and black stripes
The page saysECDC says adult females can survive over three weeks.
The source saysAdult females can survive over three weeks
The page saysOn its own wings its range is limited to about 200 metres.
The source saysFlight range (and hence dispersal on the wing) is limited to ~200m
The page saysits global expansion was helped by the movement of used tyres and "lucky bamboo"
The source saysfacilitated by human activities, in particular the movement of used tyres and ‘lucky bamboo’
The page saysIt was first reported in Europe in 1979 in Albania, then in Texas in 1985 and in Brazil in 1986.
The source saysAedes albopictus was first reported in Europe in 1979 in Albania [46]. In 1985 it was reported in Texas, USA ... In Latin America it was first reported in Brazil in 1986
The page saysIt is on the Invasive Species Specialist Group's list of the top 100 invasive species.
The source saysIt is now listed as one of the top 100 invasive species by the Invasive Species Specialist Group
The page saysthey bite aggressively, usually during the day and preferably outdoors
The source saysAdult females bite aggressively, usually during the day and preferably outdoors.
The page saysIt takes blood from people, from domestic and wild animals, and from reptiles, birds and amphibians, but lab tests and analysis of the blood in fed females show it prefers ours.
The source saysBlood hosts include humans, domestic and wild animals, reptiles, birds and amphibians [18]. Yet, laboratory studies and blood meal analysis have shown a preference for human blood meals
The page saysECDC calls it a known vector of dengue, chikungunya and dirofilariasis
The source saysThis mosquito species is a known vector of chikungunya virus, dengue virus and dirofilariasis.
The page saysItaly's chikungunya outbreak of 2006 to 2007 clearly demonstrated that it carries that virus.
The source saysDuring the 2006-2007 chikungunya outbreak in Italy, the status of Ae. albopictus as vector of the chikungunya virus was clearly demonstrated
The page saysECDC also considers it, from experiments, a competent carrier of at least 22 other arboviruses
The source saysAedes albopictus is considered to be a competent* vector experimentally of at least 22 other arboviruses
The page saysECDC cautions that lab infection and field finds alone do not prove a mosquito is involved in transmission.
The source saysField isolation and experimental infection studies alone do not prove that this mosquito species is involved in the transmission of such viruses
The page saysLook at the thorax, the body section behind the head. ECDC names a silver-white line down the middle of it, against a black background, as the diagnostic mark.
The source saysthe diagnostic character is the presence of a median silver-scale line against a black background on the scutum (dorsal part of the thorax)
The page saysThe black-and-white legs help, but some other mosquitoes have similar contrast.
The source saysSome indigenous mosquitoes also show such contrasts but these are less obvious (more brownish and yellowish).
The page saysECDC puts its flight range at around 200 metres
The source saysFlight range (and hence dispersal on the wing) is limited to ~200m
The page saysits main route to new places is people moving goods that hold water
The source saysThe main dispersal route for this mosquito is via transport and movement of container habitat goods.Note: container habitat goods = goods that hold water for larvae
The page saysout of South-East Asia's forests and around the world
The source saysHaving originated in tropical forests of South-East Asia, Ae. albopictus has spread globally.Note: tagline
The page saysa disease caused by parasitic worms
The source saysThis mosquito is also known to be able to transmit dengue virus [85,86] and dirofilarial wormsNote: definition of dirofilariasis
The page sayssuch as used tyres
The source saysThis expansion was facilitated by the movement of used tyres along the interstate highwaysNote: faq 2; tyres as the moved container goods
The page saysIt mostly travels as a stowaway, when people transport and move goods that can hold water and larvae.
The source saysThe main dispersal route for this mosquito is via transport and movement of container habitat goods.Note: container habitat goods = goods that hold water for larvae
The page saysdangerLevel: Deadly
The source saysThis mosquito is also known to be able to transmit dengue virusNote: stats.dangerLevel, task #1254: Deadly is a capability, read as for the yellow fever mosquito (#986): the bite can pass on a virus that kills
The page saystags: urban
The source saysthey have a preference for urban and suburban habitatsNote: tags, task #1254
The page saystags: hematophagy
The source saysBlood hosts include humans, domestic and wild animals, reptiles, birds and amphibiansNote: tags, task #1254; females only, the diet line says so

Source
03

UK Health Security Agency, GOV.UK

Distinguishing Aedes albopictus, the Asian Tiger mosquito, from native British mosquitoes. UK Health Security Agency, GOV.UK.

The page saysa single white line runs down the middle of the thorax
The source saysthe thorax of Ae. albopictus has a single white central line from front to back
The page saysThe UK Health Security Agency gives the wingspan as 7 to 8 mm, against 13 to 15 mm for a native British mosquito, Culiseta annulata, that people often mistake for it.
The source saysCs. annulata is much larger than Ae. albopictus with a wing span 13 to 15 mm, compared to 7 to 8 mmNote: mistaken: 'The most likely reasons why many people confuse these 2 mosquito species for the Asian Tiger mosquito are: Cs. annulata is large and has very distinctive and boldly striped legs'

Source
04

Doeurk et al. 2025

Doeurk et al. (2025). Impact of temperature on survival, development and longevity of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Parasites & Vectors.

The page saysfemales kept at a constant 20 °C lived longest, averaging 22.6 days; at 35 °C the average was 1.41 days
The source saysthe longest survival was observed at 20 °C, with an average lifespan of 22.6 days and a maximum of 99 days. In contrast, the shortest female lifespan was recorded at 35 °C for both species, averaging 5.86 (maximum 8) days for Ae. aegypti and 1.41 (maximum 8) days for Ae. albopictus
The page saysat a steady 20 °C the females averaged 22.6 days, the longest of any temperature they tried
The source saysRegarding Ae. albopictus females, the longest survival was observed at 20 °C, with an average lifespan of 22.6 days and a maximum of 99 days. In contrast, the shortest female lifespan was recorded at 35 °C for both species, averaging 5.86 (maximum 8) days for Ae. aegypti and 1.41 (maximum 8) days for Ae. albopictus
The page saysResearchers in Cambodia reared mosquitoes from a Phnom Penh population in the lab
The source saysField strains of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus used in this study were collected from the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA), located in Phnom Penh, CambodiaNote: faq 3; F2 eggs of the field strain were used, at six constant temperatures
The page saysIn a lab study of mosquitoes bred from a population collected in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The source saysWe tested two mosquito species ( Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus ) at six constant temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 °C).Note: constant temperatures; F2 eggs from field strains collected in Phnom Penh
The page saysAt 35 °C they averaged just 1.41 days
The source saysthe shortest female lifespan was recorded at 35 °C for both species, averaging 5.86 (maximum 8) days for Ae. aegypti and 1.41 (maximum 8) days for Ae. albopictus

Source
05

World Health Organization fact sheet

Dengue and severe dengue. World Health Organization fact sheet.

The page saysdangerLevel: Deadly
The source saysRarely, dengue can be severe and lead to death.Note: stats.dangerLevel, task #1254

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.