It depends on the species. Most common backyard mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk, but the Asian tiger mosquito, which is well established in Connecticut, bites aggressively during the daytime.
If you've been getting bitten at 2 PM on a sunny afternoon and wondering what's going on, you're dealing with a daytime biter. People often think mosquitoes only come out at night, and that’s true for most species. But there are some that bite during the day, which means that people often find themselves covered in mosquito bites when they let their guard down.
The mosquitoes you know for swarming at sunset and making cookouts miserable are usually the Culex species. They’re the ones that come out around dusk and dawn, and that are pretty quiet once the sun is up and temperatures climb. If your mosquito problem is worst in the evening, blame Culex mosquitoes.
The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) does not play by the same rules. It will feed in the daytime, and it can feed at any time of day, being more aggressive in the morning and late afternoon. It's smaller than Culex mosquitoes, has distinctive black-and-white striped legs, and it's persistent enough to follow you and bite multiple times. Asian tiger mosquitoes are common in southern New England, and that includes New Haven & Fairfield Counties.
If you only watch out for mosquitoes around dusk, you’re going to be exposed to daytime mosquitoes at all other times of the day. This fact is especially relevant for families with kids who play outside in the afternoon. Watching the clock, on its own, is not a mosquito control plan.
If you're tired of dealing with mosquitoes at all hours on your property, Mosquito Squad of New Haven-Fairfield County can help. Mosquito Squad treats the areas where both daytime and nighttime species rest and breed, reducing the overall population by up to 90% for 21 days at a time.
