Phoenix has had more than 5 inches of rain since the start of September and those much wetter than normal conditions have led to a big increase in mosquitoes.
“Anytime you have widespread rains, like we’ve had off and on for a month, what will happen is, as that water accumulates, that’s when you get the mosquito breeding,” said John Townsend, Maricopa County Vector Control Division manager.
Townsend said his office has received about 1,000 complaints about mosquitoes just in the last few weeks. He said that’s a significant increase after very dry conditions kept mosquito populations low throughout 2024 and 2023.
He said the pests swarming around the Valley right now are a daytime-biting variety known as floodwater mosquitoes. The good news, he said, is that these mosquitoes do not usually carry diseases.
“They’re a huge nuisance, they ruin everybody’s barbecue and dog walking and everything else, but they’re not really associated with West Nile virus or St. Louis encephalitis,” Townsend said.
Townsend said this variety of mosquitoes also tends to be short-lived, so they should begin to clear out after a few weeks.
In the meantime, Townsend said, the best way to keep them under control is to eliminate any standing water around your house.
“It could be a wheelbarrow, it could be a tarp, it could be a bucket. Those are all going to be full of water, and those are all potential breeding sites,” Townsend said. “If you go out and dump all that and tell your neighbors to do the same thing, at least you're helping the area where you’re living to not be breeding mosquitoes.”
If you notice mosquitoes buzzing around parks or other public places, Townsend said you can report that to his office. Residents can reach Maricopa County Vector Control online or by calling 602-506-0700.
