Invasive Aedes mosquitoes are naturally daytime biters, most active in the late afternoon and early evening, while the more familiar Culex mosquitoes feed mainly at dusk and night. It's a difference in species behavior, not a change in habits.
You might generally assume mosquitoes bite in the evening. That’s not the case any more in LA. In fact, it was only ever an assumption that applied to certain types of mosquitoes. But now that the invasive Aedes mosquito has a foothold in the area, you can and should expect mosquitoes to bite you in the middle of the day.
Mosquitoes have internal biological clocks that dictate when they seek a blood meal. The Culex species, longtime residents across much of the country and a main vector of West Nile virus, mostly feed around dusk and after dark. That’s not the case with Aedes mosquitoes, who can bite any time they please, but especially in the late afternoon and early evening.
Aedes mosquitoes also happen to be very well adapted to live closely alongside people. This is why they often thrive in urban and suburban settings and breed in the small containers around homes. They're active during the day, right when people are outside gardening, playing, or relaxing. And they're aggressive, up-close biters that make their presence felt far more than a dusk-only species would.
This matters for how you defend against them. If your mosquitoes are the daytime, ankle-biting kind, avoiding dusk doesn't help much, the bites are happening at midday. So instead, your best bet is removing breeding sources. If you find a container that holds water in your yard, tip it over or drain it. It’s also a good idea to make sure your irrigation isn’t contributing to the problem.
If you're tired of mosquitoes that don't wait for evening to bite, Mosquito Squad of Los Angeles can help. Mosquito Squad reduces the daytime-biting population by treating resting zones and targeting breeding sources. This can help protect your yard with up to 90% reduction in mosquito activity on a recurring 21-day cycle.
