The Asian tiger mosquito or forest ay mosquito (Aedes albopictus), from the mosquito family Culicidae, is characterized by its black and white striped legs, and small black and white body. It was native to Southeast Asia, but nowadays is present on all continents excluding antarctica and occurs as far north as 49° latitude in Germany. They have been found in the southern USA since 1985, in Italy since 1990, and in Nigeria since 1992[verification needed]. By mid-2007, the species was present in New Zealand, Eastern Canada, and 12 European countries including Italy and Spain where it may already be an established resident. In Switzerland the species was first found in 2003, in southern Ticino canton; in November 2007 a record from Aargau confirmed that it had crossed the Alps. In September 2007, the first Asian tiger mosquito eggs were found in Germany, near Rastatt. It was also recently confirmed to have established itself in Australia.