In 1998, the subspecies Aedes japonicus japonicus was first detected in the United States in New York and New Jersey. Breeding Areas Larvae are found in a wide variety of natural and artificial containers, including rock holes and used tires. Preferred sites usually are shaded and contain water rich in organic matter. The similarity of breeding habitats used by Aedes japonicus to those of other Aedes species suggests that the transport of eggs, larvae, and pupae in used tires may be an important mechanism for introducing the species into previously uninfested areas.
Eggs are resistant to desiccation and can survive several weeks or months under dry conditions.
Aedes japonicus overwinters as eggs in the more northern parts of its range. Under experimental conditions it has been shown to transmit JE virus to mice and also to transmit the virus to its progeny through the eggs. Unpublished studies conducted at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases in Fort Detrick, MD, indicate that Aedes japonicus is also a competent experimental vector of West Nile virus, a flavivirus closely related to JE and St. Louis encephalitis viruses. Behavior Adult species of Aedes japonicus rest in wooded areas and prefer to bite during the daytime. In the laboratory, they feed readily on chicks and mice, but not on reptiles or amphibians.