Residents in a Gelderland village have been warned to look out for Asian tiger mosquitos after one of the insects was spotted in the area.

The distinctive black and white striped creatures were reported in Aalten, which lies on the German border, the Telegraaf reported. People living within a 500-metre radius of the site have been notified.

The food safety agency NWVA has drawn up a plan to eradicate the mosquitos, which carry diseases such as yellow fever and dengue fever in their native habitat. They were first sighted in the Netherlands in 2005.

The NVWA said there was a negligible chance of humans being infected, but is taking action to prevent the insects colonising the Netherlands. Since the turn of the century the species has succeeded in establishing itself in several southern European countries including France and Italy.