Yellow-Fever-Carrying Mosquitos Found in California

Warnings in central part of state

FRESNO — A mosquito that can carry dengue and yellow fever has been found in California, prompting intense eradication efforts in the Central Valley and warnings from officials about how to keep the pest from spreading.

"It could change the way we live in California, if we don't stop it," said Tim Phillips of the Fresno Mosquito and Vector Control District. "Imagine not feeling safe to sit out in your backyard in the afternoons."

The yellow fever mosquito, or Aedes aegypti — a white polka-dotted bug that bites during the day and can lay its eggs in less than a teaspoon of water — was first detected in June in Madera.

"We were shocked," said Leonard Irby, district manager of Madera's abatement program. "We never expected this mosquito in California."