Non-native and potentially invasive mosquito species are potential vectors for a variety of pathogens and thus pose a threat to public health. This project enables new populations of these species to be detected at an early stage, allowing timely countermeasures to be taken and the development of existing populations to be monitored. Furthermore, the uniform method used throughout Austria allows the data obtained to be used to record spatial and temporal changes in the occurrence of non-native mosquito species.
The spread of the tiger mosquito (Ae. albopictus) in Austria in 2025 was similar to previous years. This species is already established in large parts of Vienna, Graz and Linz, where it also occurs locally in large numbers. The spatial spread of the tiger mosquito has increased significantly in these three cities over the last few years. It is therefore strongly recommended that intensive monitoring and countermeasures involving the population (continue) to be carried out in these areas in order to try to prevent the population from growing further and, ideally, to decimate it and also to prevent or at least slow down its further spread. In locations where the tiger mosquito has only been found sporadically to date, care should be taken to ensure that these locations continue to be monitored. In addition, proactive action plans to combat this species should be drawn up so that, if the tiger mosquito is found repeatedly, it can be combated quickly. The frequent findings at motorway service stations confirm the relevance of its spread via road traffic. In order to prevent further spread from these service stations, care must be taken to ensure that the Asian tiger mosquito does not find any potential breeding waters.
The Japanese bush mosquito (Ae. japonicus) can now be found in all federal states of Austria and is particularly widespread in the south and south-west. This species can no longer be eradicated in Austria.
The Korean bush mosquito (Ae. koreicus) has only been found sporadically so far and could not be detected at all in 2025. Due to very similar climatic requirements, this species could probably spread further in Austria.
In 2025, an unusually low number of mosquitoes was observed throughout Austria. As the results of ovitrap monitoring show, this also applies to the Japanese bush mosquito – but not to the Asian tiger mosquito. The latter has proven to be particularly well adapted to urban habitats and, due to its preference for artificial micro-water bodies as breeding sites, is significantly less affected by low-precipitation weather conditions than other mosquito species.