https://drive.google.com/file/d/13kHHzh2ufuC1S411Cmp8onlutrG0NCmj/view?usp=sharing

Black Salt Marsh mosquito larvae cluster together in a dense ball following tidal flooding in coastal areas of Collier County. To view click onto the above link.

TALLAHASSEE — With summer rains returning to Florida, billions of saltmarsh mosquitoes are hatching after months of dormancy. These aggressive pests—up to 150 can land on a person in just one minute—pose a serious nuisance to humans and animals alike, especially during the early summer months. They are known as voracious biters.

“Saltmarsh mosquitoes are one of the most persistent and aggressive biting species in Florida,” said Dr. Jorge Rey, Florida Mosquito Control Association (FMCA) president and professor at the University of Florida’s Medical Entomology Laboratory. “While they aren’t known to transmit diseases to humans, their sheer numbers can overwhelm communities, impact outdoor activities, and pose risks to animals.”

Florida is home to more than 80 mosquito species, many of which are invasive and capable of spreading deadly diseases. While saltmarsh mosquitoes are not major disease carriers for humans, they can transmit heartworm to dogs and have caused cattle deaths by draining blood in extreme swarms.

Florida Mosquito Control Association (FMCA) and its members - 67 mosquito control programs including 15 independent districts - are dedicated to protecting public health and comfort. Their focus is not only pest management—it is a critical public service that safeguards people, pets, and livestock from disease and distress.

Two primary species are currently active in Florida: Aedes taeniorhynchus (Black Saltmarsh Mosquito) and Aedes sollicitans (Eastern Saltmarsh Mosquito).

These pests are most common in coastal mangroves, around plants such as grasses, sedges, rushes, and succulents. They hatch in massive numbers when high spring tides flood the high marsh where dormant eggs await tidal inundation.

Saltmarsh mosquitoes bite during the day—especially in shaded areas, though they’ll also attack in the sun, on beaches, and near homes.

“This time of year is always a challenge, but our mosquito control programs are battle-tested and committed,” said Dr. Rey. “Our priority is public safety, and our mission is to protect both people and animals from the dangers and discomfort caused by these pests.”

Across the state, local mosquito control districts are responding with urgency and innovation. Florida is home to world-class mosquito control professionals who are deploying numerous techniques to protect humans and animals. Each county has scientists, entomologists, pilots and experts who work diligently to keep the public safe by managing mosquito population explosions through aerial treatments, water-level controls, and use of native predators like mosquitofish.

In Collier County, the Collier Mosquito Control District (CMCD) teams have been working hard to get ahead of the problem by pretreating local mangrove swamps with larvicide to stop the ruthless mosquitoes before they become adults. They use helicopter treatments and ground-based sprays to help give residents some temporary relief from these relentless biters; however, these mosquitoes don’t just emerge locally. “The challenge for our District is that we’re surrounded by vast amounts of state and federal lands that produce large numbers of saltmarsh mosquitoes,” said Patrick Linn, Executive Director of the CMCD. “Because we can’t treat those areas, and these mosquitoes fly long distances, we often have to wait until they reach our boundaries before we can take action to control them.”

In neighboring Lee County, Lee County Mosquito Control District (LCMCD) trucks that trap mosquitoes are showing a 50 percent increase in the number of saltmarsh mosquitoes compared to last year. Ten percent of Lee County are areas that provide ideal conditions for the mosquitoes.

Saltmarsh mosquitoes in the Florida Keys have also been particularly challenging. Florida Keys Mosquito Control District experts say tidal waters have produced mosquitoes in areas that historically have never been an issue. They have seen an explosion of mosquito populations and have responded in full force with inspectors, backpacks, trucks, and helicopters to combat both mosquito larvae and adults.

Miami-Dade County

In late May, Miami-Dade County mosquito control experts experienced a sharp increase in the number of saltmarsh mosquitoes that affected a localized residential area off the coast. The emergence was quickly controlled by truck-mounted equipment adulticiding treatments. Though not the typical invasion of salt marsh mosquitoes that migrate from marshes along Biscayne Bay and Everglades National Park, which usually afflict large sections of the populated areas of the county, officials expect to see higher mosquito activity and resident calls for service as the rainy season gets fully established.

Hillsborough County Mosquito Management

Starting this spring and summer, Hillsborough County Mosquito Management Services has begun using extended-release products along the county’s over 150 miles of shoreline to target our saltmarsh mosquito populations. This allows their newly equipped helicopter more time to treat inland swamps as well. Mosquito teams are also continuing to evaluate the effectiveness of the products they use to treat saltmarsh populations with thorough resistance testing at their headquarters.

Citrus County Mosquito Control District

To combat saltmarsh mosquitoes, the Citrus County Mosquito Control District conducts aerial and ground larvicide treatments shortly after tidal flooding, targeting larvae before they emerge as adults. Timing is critical, so they monitor tides and weather closely to ensure effective control. These efforts help reduce nuisance populations and protect public health.

Brevard County Mosquito Control District

The Brevard County Mosquito Control District (BCMCD) has been focusing heavily on proactive saltmarsh mosquito management this spring, which has involved pumping and maintaining water levels above marsh sediment elevations to reduce mosquito egg laying opportunities in countywide mosquito impoundments, a large-scale source reduction effort. To reduce the potential for saltmarsh mosquito emergences further, BCMCD has also been pretreating historically productive mosquito habitat by air and ground and stocking native mosquitofish in newly flooded marsh areas.

Sarasota County Mosquito Management Services

Sarasota Mosquito Management has seen isolated pockets of saltmarsh mosquitoes hatching off in areas along the county’s rivers and estuaries, including new sites likely created from last season’s hurricanes. Kayaks were used to access island areas, with a focus on using mosquitofish in these hard-to-reach locations. Adulticide and larvicide applications were performed along the beaches to cull saltwater mosquito populations where residents are more likely to encounter them.

Saltmarsh Mosquito Fast Facts

• Aedes taeniorhynchus (Black) and Aedes sollicitans (Eastern)
• Thrive in coastal mangroves, swamps, and grasslands
• Can migrate up to 40 miles from breeding grounds

• Hatch en masse after dry winters followed by spring tides
• Aggressive daytime biters—even on sunny beaches
• Responsible for cattle deaths and dog heartworm cases
• Represent the majority of Springtime mosquito control activity in Florida
• Managed through aerial larvicide and adulticide treatments, water-level controls, and native predators like mosquitofish
• Prompted the creation of some of Florida’s mosquito control districts in the 1950s

Following simple steps, can help you protect your home and your family, especially during the summer months when residents are spending more time outdoors.

They include the following tips known as the 5Ds:

Drain standing water around your home.
Dress in long sleeves and long pants.
Defend yourself by using an EPA-approved insect repellant with DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535.
During dusk and dawn, avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active.

For more information about the FMCA to to: https://www.yourfmca.org/.