The Asian Tiger Mosquito in Germany: Where It Has Established and What to Do

incognito® DEET-free insect repellent spray on a wooden garden table next to terracotta plant pots on a sunny terrace

TL;DR — the Asian tiger mosquito in Germany at a glance

  • The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) was first found in Germany in 2007, at a motorway service area on the A5 near Lörrach in Baden-Württemberg, and has had local breeding populations since the mid-2010s.
  • Its stronghold is the Upper Rhine valley in south-west Germany, where more than 150 local populations are known; further populations have been detected in cities in other federal states.
  • You can recognise it by its black-and-white pattern: a single silver-white line down the back and white rings on the legs. It is small — roughly 3.5 to 8 mm — and bites mainly during the day.
  • Report suspected tiger mosquitoes: catch one undamaged, freeze it overnight and post it to the Mückenatlas citizen-science project, or use your local mosquito control or health office reporting channel.
  • The best protection is empty containers plus bite prevention: tip out standing water at least weekly, and use an EU-authorised skin repellent such as one based on PMD when you are outdoors in affected areas.

A few years ago the Asian tiger mosquito in Germany was a curiosity found at motorway rest stops. Today it breeds in gardens, allotments and cemeteries along the Rhine and is turning up in more towns each season. It is a daytime biter, it thrives in tiny pockets of water, and it can carry viruses such as dengue and chikungunya. This guide explains where it has established, how to identify it, how to report it and what actually reduces bites.

Where has the tiger mosquito established in Germany?

According to KABS, the mosquito control association for the Upper Rhine, the tiger mosquito was first detected in Germany in 2007 at a service area on the A5 motorway in the district of Lörrach. The species spreads mainly by hitching rides — eggs in used tyres and plant containers, adults in cars and lorries travelling north from Italy and southern France — rather than by flying, since an adult rarely travels more than about 200 metres on its own.

The Upper Rhine valley is the hotspot

The warm, low-lying Upper Rhine valley (Oberrheinische Tiefebene) in Baden-Württemberg and neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate is where the species is most firmly established. KABS reports more than 150 local tiger mosquito populations in the region, with established breeding populations since around 2014. Cities such as Freiburg, Heidelberg and Karlsruhe, and many smaller municipalities, run control programmes every summer.

Other federal states

Local populations have also been found in urban areas outside the south-west, including parts of Hesse, Bavaria, Thuringia and Berlin. The picture changes every year: some populations are eliminated by control work, while new ones are found thanks to reports from the public. For the latest European picture, the ECDC publishes regularly updated distribution maps of invasive mosquitoes.

How to recognise an Asian tiger mosquito

Many black-and-white insects get mistaken for tiger mosquitoes. These features help you tell them apart:

  • One white stripe down the middle of the back (thorax) on an otherwise black body — the most reliable field mark.
  • White rings on the legs, especially the hind legs, which look banded.
  • Small size: about 3.5–8 mm, often smaller than common house mosquitoes.
  • Daytime biting, mostly outdoors in shady spots, often around the ankles and lower legs.
  • Persistent behaviour: it tends to return quickly after being swatted away.
Feature Asian tiger mosquito Common house mosquito (Culex pipiens)
Colour Black with silver-white stripes and leg rings Plain brownish-grey
Key mark Single white line down the back No distinct pattern
Biting time Daytime, peaks morning and late afternoon Dusk and night
Where it breeds Small containers: saucers, buckets, tyres, drains Rain barrels, ponds, larger standing water
Winter survival As dormant eggs As adult females in cellars and sheds

Why the tiger mosquito matters for health

The ECDC lists Aedes albopictus as a confirmed vector of dengue and chikungunya, and a potential vector of Zika. In recent summers, locally acquired dengue and chikungunya outbreaks have been recorded in France, Italy and Spain — all linked to this species. In Germany, reported dengue cases have so far been overwhelmingly imported by travellers, but a traveller returning with the virus can in principle infect local tiger mosquitoes. That is why health authorities want new populations found early. We cover the wider European situation in our guide to dengue in Europe and the rise of the tiger mosquito.

For most people in Germany, the everyday problem is not disease but nuisance: tiger mosquitoes bite aggressively in daylight, when people are gardening, playing outside or sitting on the terrace.

How to report a tiger mosquito in Germany

Reports from the public are one of the main ways new populations are discovered. You have two main options:

  1. Send it to the Mückenatlas. This citizen-science project, run by the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) and the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, identifies mosquitoes sent in by the public. Catch the mosquito undamaged in a small container (do not squash it), put the closed container in the freezer overnight, let any condensation evaporate, then post it in a sturdy box together with the completed submission form from the Mückenatlas website. You receive the identification result by email.
  2. Contact your local authority. In the Upper Rhine region, KABS accepts reports of unusual mosquitoes and heavy biting through its online reporting portal. Elsewhere, your municipality or local health office (Gesundheitsamt) can tell you where to report.

A clear photo helps, but a physical specimen is what allows experts to confirm the species with certainty.

What you can do at home: remove breeding sites

Tiger mosquito larvae need only a few centimetres of water. Control programmes rely heavily on residents removing these micro-habitats:

  • Empty and scrub plant saucers, buckets, watering cans and toys at least once a week — eggs stick to the inside walls just above the waterline.
  • Cover rain barrels with a tight lid or fine mesh.
  • Store tyres, tarpaulins and containers dry or upside down.
  • Clear blocked gutters and check drains and gully covers.
  • Change water in bird baths and pet bowls every few days.
  • Look after cemetery vases — a classic breeding site; fill them with sand or refresh the water often.

Where authorities treat larger water bodies, they use the biological larvicide Bti, which targets mosquito larvae. For more garden-level ideas, see our guide on how to get rid of mosquitoes in your garden naturally.

How to avoid tiger mosquito bites

Because tiger mosquitoes bite during the day, evening-only habits such as closing windows at dusk are not enough. The ECDC recommends combining several protective measures:

  • Apply a skin repellent during outdoor activities in affected areas, including mornings and late afternoons.
  • Wear long, loose, light-coloured clothing, and cover ankles and lower legs, where this species often bites.
  • Fit screens on windows and doors if tiger mosquitoes are active near your home.
  • Use a fan on the terrace — the moving air makes it harder for small mosquitoes to land.
  • Reapply repellent as directed on the label, especially after sweating or swimming.

How incognito® helps

If you live in or travel to an area with tiger mosquitoes, a repellent you are happy to use every day makes the biggest difference. Our DEET-free insect repellent spray uses PMD (Citrepel®) derived from Javanese citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus) — the same class of active ingredient that health authorities list alongside DEET. It is clinically proven, vegan and biodegradable, and recommended against both mosquitoes and ticks, so one spray covers a day in the garden or a hike along the Rhine.

FAQs

Where is the Asian tiger mosquito found in Germany?
Mainly in the Upper Rhine valley in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, where more than 150 local populations are known. Local populations have also been detected in cities in other federal states, and new sites are found every year.

How do I know if it is a tiger mosquito?
Look for a small black mosquito with a single white stripe down the middle of its back and white rings on its legs. It usually bites during the day, often around the ankles.

Where do I report a tiger mosquito in Germany?
Freeze an undamaged specimen overnight and post it to the Mückenatlas with the submission form, or contact your local mosquito control association or health office. In the Upper Rhine region, KABS runs an online reporting portal.

Can tiger mosquitoes in Germany transmit dengue?
The species can transmit dengue and chikungunya. In Germany, dengue cases have so far been overwhelmingly travel-related, but local outbreaks have occurred in France, Italy and Spain, which is why early detection matters.

When are tiger mosquitoes active?
They bite during daylight, with peaks in the morning and late afternoon, from roughly late spring into autumn. They survive winter as dormant eggs, which hatch when temperatures rise again.

Which repellent works against tiger mosquitoes?
Health authorities such as the ECDC and CDC recommend repellents containing ingredients such as DEET, picaridin (icaridin), IR3535 or PMD. Always follow the product label for age guidance and reapplication.

Sources

Written by the incognito® team. This article is general information, not medical advice. If you develop a high fever, severe headache, joint pain or a rash after mosquito bites — especially after travel — see a doctor and mention where you have been.