Who wants to swat away the resident mosquitoes while drinking your “I’ll-Take-It-To-Go” margarita basking on a sunny Florida beach? I’m guessing nobody. So don’t worry, because after reading this article on how to get rid of mosquitoes in Florida, you won’t spill a drop of your margarita or be swatting anymore.
How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes in Florida
Protect Your Property from Mosquitoes
There are many ways to repel, deter or kill mosquitoes on your property. Though it can vary by mosquito species, most are drawn to stagnant and/or standing water, which females use to lay eggs. So, removing water from your yard is your first task in home mosquito control. Here’s how:
- Move or dispose of any containers, buckets, or plant container saucers that can accumulate stagnant or standing water.
- Drill drainage holes in the bottom of outdoor recycling containers and trash cans.
- Turn over wheelbarrows and kiddie pools when not in use (or store them in a covered area).
- Clean out clogged house gutters of leaves and debris. Mosquitoes love wet leaves.
- Aerate ornamental pools, fountains, and birdbaths.
- Stock ornamental pools with mosquitofish.
- Chlorinate and clean swimming pools regularly.
- Use mosquito dunks (Bti) to kill larvae in the standing water of birdbaths, fountains, and anywhere you want to keep standing water.
- Spray them with foggers around the perimeter of your yard. (Protect the bees by using a bee-safe product.)
- Trap them with mosquito traps (Some have sticky surfaces, and others have a fan that sucks them in.)
- Zap them with a mosquito zapper. (The light attracts them, and they are electrocuted and vaporized.) CO2 traps are another option. They draw mosquitoes to the trap and kill them.
- Disrupt their olfactory senses by confusing them with various smells. They won’t be able to locate our carbon dioxide if you use things like citronella incense sticks, mosquito coils, and eucalyptus (in an essential oil diffuser) to repel them. Looking for a 21st century solution? Mosquito-repellent devices dispel backyard skeeters effectively.
Protect Yourself From Mosquito Bites
Due to the risk of pathogens, infections, and allergic reactions, mosquito bites should always be avoided when possible. Here are some ways to protect yourself from mosquito bites:
- Apply mosquito repellent directly on your skin. They come in sprays, lotions, wipes, and roll-ons, to name a few. (Use one that contains one of the following ingredients: DEET, IR3535, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), p-Menthane-3,8-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanoate.)
- Attach a clip-on mosquito repellent to your clothes or wear insect-repellent clothing.
- Wear light-colored clothing, including long sleeve shirts and long pants.
- Avoid going out during dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.
When is Mosquito Season in Florida?
Mosquito season in Florida lasts from February through November in most of the state; however, northern Florida’s mosquito season lasts from March to September. In the southernmost parts, like Miami, mosquito season lasts year-round.
Three factors in Florida drive mosquito activity: temperature, location, and rainfall. Before delving into more detail about the mosquito season in Northern and Southern Florida, let’s address the temperature requirements vital for their survival.
Mosquitoes’ Temperature Requirements for Survival
Mosquitoes require temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit to survive and, depending upon the species, need water or damp areas to mate and lay their eggs. They thrive and flourish at 80 degrees Fahrenheit, where they can eat, mate, and lay their eggs.
Mosquito Season in Northern Florida
Mosquito season in northern Florida begins in early March after temperatures have warmed up, with peak populations occurring during late spring or summer.
In Tallahassee, for example, the winter months range between 40 degrees Fahrenheit to mid-60 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures occasionally drop below freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit), and there have been record lows for November through March that span from 20 degrees Fahrenheit to an all-time low of -2 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mosquito Season in Southern Florida
Since southern Florida is typically above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, mosquitoes are year-round inhabitants. Mosquitoes thrive in the warm, humid climate, so their populations don’t usually drop like in Northern Florida.
In Miami, for example, summers are oppressively hot, wet, and mostly cloudy, but the winters there are comfortable with mostly clear, humid, and windy conditions. Throughout the year, the temperature in Miami typically fluctuates between 62 degrees Fahrenheit and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Florida’s Rainy and Hurricane Seasons
Florida’s rainy and hurricane seasons overlap, which can be bad news for homeowners battling mosquitoes. More rain leads to more standing and stagnant water. This scenario creates more places for mosquitoes to lay their eggs.
The rainy season typically lasts from May to October—the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. The most active part of hurricane season occurs from mid-August to late October when the warm waters of the equatorial Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico can contribute to the formation of tropical waves.
Five Common Species of Mosquitoes in Florida
Did you know there are over 80 different species of Florida mosquitoes? Some are just pests (male mosquitoes), while others (female mosquitoes) are known to bite humans and animals and carry risks for disease.
The chart below illustrates five common species of mosquitoes in Florida, the mosquito-borne diseases they carry, and the locations where they can be found.
Note: The location column is broken down into two bullet points. The first bullet point refers to the locations in Florida where those mosquitoes can be found. The second bullet point lets you know where the larvae thrive and grow in a specific place on your property.
| Mosquito | Mosquito-Borne Diseases | Location |
| Yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) | ● Yellow fever ● Dengue ● Chikungunya ● Zika | ● All of Florida, except Panhandle counties ● (Larvae can be found in wet, low-lying areas and any “water-holding” areas around the yard and home.) |
| Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) | ● Yellow fever ● Dengue ● Chikungunya ● Zika ● LaCrosse Encephalitis ● West Nile virus | ● All Florida counties ● (Larvae love any “water-holding” areas around the yard and home.) |
| Gallnipper (Psorophora ciliata) | ● No known pathogens ● Popular in Florida, still bites, and is considered a huge nuisance | ● All Florida counties ● (Larvae can be found in containers, ditches, low-lying areas, furrows of citrus groves, and pasture areas.) |
| Florida SLE mosquito (Culex nigripalpus Theobold) | ● St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) virus ● Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) | ● All Florida counties ● (Larvae found in floodwater habitats. These are considered floodwater mosquitoes.) |
| Southern house mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus) | ● Dog heartworm ● St. Louis encephalitis virus ● West Nile virus | ● All Florida counties ● (Larvae are found in aquatic habitats with high organic content, including catch basins, ditches, and containers.) |
| Common malaria mosquito (Anopheles genus) | ● Malaria | ● All Florida counties ● (Larvae love any “water-holding” areas in your yard. They also love ditches, ponds that have standing water.) |
FAQ
Female mosquitoes (the ones that bite) use their mouthpart called a proboscis. This structure is a sophisticated system of six thin, needlelike mouthparts that scientists call stylets; they pierce the skin, find blood vessels, and make it easy for mosquitoes to suck blood.
Mosquitoes have more than 150 receptors. These receptors contain proteins on their antennae and proboscis that help them find their blood meals and scout out particular water puddles with enough nutrients to support mosquito larvae.
Yes. Researchers from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, in partnership with the Miami-Dade County Mosquito Control Division, analyzed two years of data and discovered that Miami-Dade County now has year-round mosquitoes. The warm, humid climate is a huge draw for them to proliferate their species.
Yes, they do have some natural predators. Here are some of the creatures that consider mosquitoes a great snack:
● Fish
● Birds
● Frogs
● Tadpoles
● Turtles
● Dragonflies
Call In The Pros
Need mosquito control? Pest Gnome connects you to the best pest control experts in your area. Let them tackle the mosquitoes so you can stop all that swatting while trying not to spill your “I’ll-Take-It-To-Go” margarita.
Resources
Main Photo Credit: galitskaya / Canva Pro / License
