Brooklyn is known for its way of embracing immigrants, who enrich the diverse borough with their energy and diversity.
But there is one group of recent arrivals that Windsor Terrace resident Peter Kelman can do without.
“They’re fast, small, and silent. You go out into your garden or your stoop, and one will be on you before you know it,” he said.
He was speaking of the Asian Tiger Mosquito, a relatively new arrival to the northeast whose increasing numbers are making the summer a little less relaxing for Brooklynites.
At a recent Windsor Terrace Alliance meeting, Kelman – a former chemistry major who worked in science textbook publishing before recently retiring – delivered a presentation on a species he said was taking its toll on his quality of life.
The ATM, as it is known, was first discovered in the United States in Houston in 1985 in Japanese-imported used tires. Since then, interstate commerce and the effects of global warming have allowed it to spread to 25 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It was first observed in New York City in 2000, according to the city’s Department of Health (DOH).
The mosquito is capable of transmitting West Nile virus and the more dangerous Dengue fever and the Chikungunya virus.
“Currently, we have the vector but not the viruses [for Dengue and Chikungunya] in the U.S., but the potential is very real,” said Dr. Randy Gaugler, director for the Center for Vector Biology at Rutgers University.
In other words, the mosquito is capable of transmitting the virus, but has yet to contract it.
As for West Nile, Gaugler said it was “a walk in the park” compared to the other two diseases. For its part, the DOH said “the species does not play an important role in the transmission of West Nile virus in NYC.”
In appearance, the ATM is jet black with white stripes on its legs and head. It is approximately one-third the size of a regular mosquito and flies much faster, at speeds closer to those of a fly than a mosquito. Unlike a regular mosquito, the ATM is silent.
“People mistake them for gnats or fruit flies, but they leave huge welts. You don’t really know they’re around until they’ve bitten you,” said Kelman.
They also have unique breeding habits. In New York City, the ATM breeds in artificial containers that collect water, such as bird baths, tarps and even children’s toys.
“Even a plastic bottle cap contains sufficient water for ATM to complete their development,” said Gaugler, adding, “Amazing insects.”
Because of this, the key to keeping them in check is eliminating these water-filled, artificial containers.
Kelman has been busy talking to his neighbors, and he recommended other people do the same. He said this is particularly important because the mosquitoes, as fast as they are, have a limited flying range of around 100 yards.
“If you’re getting bitten, chances are it’s either something on your property or one of your neighbors,” he said.
Kelman would also like the city to take more aggressive measures in curbing the mosquito, whether it is educating the populace or flushing out storm sewers, which he suspects are a favorite breeding ground of the mosquito.
“These things are out in troubling numbers – this could be an epidemic waiting to happen. The city needs to have a public awareness campaign similar to what they had during other potential public health hazards,” he said.
A spokesperson from the DOH wrote in an email: “The Health Department focuses on disease prevention and this species is not posing a disease risk in New York at this point.”
To this, Kelman responded, “The issue isn’t whether it’s a clear and present danger right now, but whether we’re sitting on a time bomb. Just because something hasn’t caused a disease in our area yet doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be concerned about it.”
But he insisted that beyond concern about a possible epidemic, “My major concern is quality of life. Last August, people on my block didn’t go outside some days because it was so bad.”
