Aedes albopictus
Published 30 October 2026, 20:39
Aedes albopictus (tiger mosquito, mosquito-tigre)
A mosquito that can transmit dengue, Zika and chikungunya. It is dark, with a white stripe along the head and the top of the thorax, and has black-and-white striped legs and body. It lays its eggs in small amounts of standing water near houses: in saucers under plant pots, buckets, tyres and blocked gutters. It has been found on the mainland since 2017.
Where you come across it. Clearing the garden and the balcony, the swimming pool, gutters, abandoned containers holding water.
Its presence alone does not mean disease: no virus-infected tiger mosquitoes have yet been found in Portugal. The only thing to do at home is not to leave standing water.
Official website: sns24.gov.pt/tema/doencas/doencas-infecciosas/dengue