Australia on high alert as Asian tiger mosquitos are detected in Queensland for the first time in history

By OLIVIA DAY, ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR, AUSTRALIA Published: 02:28, 16 May 2026 | Updated: 02:29, 16 May 2026 The discovery of six Asian tiger mosquitos on a farm in Queensland has marked the first time the invasive 'super pest' has been detected in Australia.  The worrying discovery was made during routine monitoring near Bamaga in Far North Queensland and has sparked an urgent warning from health authorities.  Officers will launch spraying operations across the Cape York Peninsula in an effort to wipe out the mosquitos, which can inflict a painful bite.  Aussies are being urged to reduce standing water around homes, wear protective clothing and use insect repellent to help stop the pest from spreading. The species is native to Southeast Asia but have since spread to parts of Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Pacific, mostly due to international travel.  The Asian tiger mosquito is a small, black mosquito with distinctive white stripes, including a single white line running down its back.  The species is known for being particularly aggressive and is active during the day, often delivering a painful bite.  The discovery of six Asian tiger mosquitos on a farm in Queensland has marked the first time the invasive 'super pest' has been detected in Australia (stock( The worrying discovery was made during routine monitoring near Bamaga in Far North Queensland (pictured) and has sparked an urgent warning from health authorities No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.