The yellow fever mosquito, also known as Aedes aegypti, has been buzzing around California, leaving larvae in Madera, Fresno and the Bay Area. The species is known to transmit yellow fever, dengue, and other diseases, but must first bite an infected person before it can spread disease.

So far, all of California's reported cases of yellow fever and dengue were determined to have been contracted out of the country, but authorities are worried. Florida has seen a massive mosquito-spread outbreak of dengue, and the West Nile Virus, also spread by mosquitos, has become a problem in California, with 275 reported cases this year.

The yellow fever mosquito is dark colored with white bands on its legs and apparently prefers to bite people indoors during the day. According to the Medical Daily, they need as little as a teaspoon of water to lay eggs, making it difficult to stop their spread.

Authorities are unsure how the mosquito arrived, but experts have suggested their appearance may be due to climate change or the presence of eggs in imported containers or vegetation.

[image via Shutterstock]