The short answer
The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is one of the mosquitoes commonly found in Hong Kong. Key identifiers are a black body with a distinctive white stripe down the centre of the thorax, and white-banded legs. Unlike common house mosquitoes that bite mainly at night, this one bites mainly during the day. It doesn't need much water to breed — a plant saucer, an air-conditioner drip tray, or an old tyre holding a small pool is enough. It's one of Hong Kong's main dengue vector mosquitoes — for details, consult the Centre for Health Protection. Control focuses on removing standing water, not just spraying adult mosquitoes.
- Scientific name
- Aedes albopictus
- Chinese name
- 白紋伊蚊
- English name
- Asian tiger mosquito
How to identify an Asian tiger mosquito
- Colour: black body with a single, distinctive white stripe running down the centre of the thorax — the main identifying feature.
- Legs: black and white banded, clearly striped.
- Active hours: bites mainly during the day, especially morning and dusk, unlike night-biting house mosquitoes.
- Small and relatively quiet in flight; bites tend to land on ankles and lower legs.
Where does it breed in Hong Kong?
This mosquito doesn't need a large pool of water — an amount the size of a bottle cap is enough to hatch larvae:
- Plant saucers and vase water
- Air-conditioner drip trays and awning pooling
- Discarded tyres and containers on rooftops or in back lanes
- Standing water at pipe joints or blocked drainage points
- Uncovered water tanks or buckets at village houses or rooftop structures
Why does it matter?
The Asian tiger mosquito is one of Hong Kong's main dengue vector mosquitoes — for current risk levels and detailed guidance, consult the Centre for Health Protection. Beyond the health angle, its daytime activity means rooftops, back gardens and outdoor seating areas all become exposed, affecting how comfortably a home or business can use those spaces.
Does spraying insecticide alone work?
Spraying adult mosquitoes only deals with what's flying at that moment — because the breeding cycle is short, a new batch hatches quickly if the standing water is still there. The effective approach is source reduction: checking every plant saucer, drip tray and rooftop pooling spot, clearing or covering it, combined with residual treatment of resting surfaces for adult mosquitoes. See our mosquito control service for details.
How to keep them from coming back
- Check and empty plant saucers and air-conditioner drip trays weekly
- Clear or cover discarded containers and tyres on rooftops and in back lanes
- Cover water tanks and buckets to stop mosquitoes laying eggs in them
- Clear pipe drainage points regularly to prevent pooling