It's hard to predict exact numbers, but the long-term trend in Orange County is heading the wrong direction. Invasive Aedes mosquitoes keep expanding, and milder winters mean breeding never fully stops.
It’s not your imagination. There really are more mosquitoes than there were a few years ago. Residents and public health officials alike have noticed it.
Not every year is quite as bad. That’s because mosquito populations swing year to year based on a few different factors. The biggest is rainfall. With more rain comes more standing water, and standing water gives mosquitoes the habitats they need to breed. Even in Southern California’s dry climate, irrigation runoff, clogged gutters, and poorly drained landscaping are enough to keep breeding going through the warm months.
Temperature is another big factor here as well. Mosquitoes aren’t active when it’s below freezing. With warmer winters come fewer freezes, and that means that breeding just doesn’t stop, at least not totally. It continues later into fall and starts back earlier in spring.
The biggest change in the last decade is the rise of the invasive Aedes mosquitoes. Known as the “ankle biters,” they can breed in water pools as small as bottle caps and they stay close to where they hatch. The Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District has launched targeted programs including a sterile insect technique in Mission Viejo. But even a really good spraying program won’t help people whose private, residential yards are the primary breeding ground.
For you, what matters most of all isn’t the county-wide trend. It’ll be the conditions on your own property. A home with good drainage, trimmed landscaping, and no standing water will have a very different experience than one nearby with a clogged gutter and overwatered beds. The macro trend may be worsening, but your individual situation is something you can influence.
The best thing you can do is to eliminate standing water on your property. Fix leaky irrigation and trim back vegetation. And if that won’t quite do the trick, professional barrier treatments can help even more.
If you’re an Orange County homeowner and you want reliable, season-long mosquito control, Mosquito Squad of North Orange County can help. Mosquito Squad provides recurring treatments with a trained technician who inspects your property and finds out where the mosquitoes are coming from. Once the sources are found, they’ll treat every 21 days to help protect you from mosquitoes all year long.
