Antelope Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District

04/28/2026

When choosing a repellent, be sure to pick one that includes ONE of these EPA approved active ingredients: DEET, Picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus or IR3535. Look for one of those active ingredients in at least a 20% concentration. The higher the percentage of the active ingredient, the longer the coverage will last without needing to reapply. Essential oils, bracelets, stickers/patches, plants, candles etc....are ineffective. The best defense against bites when you notice mosquitoes is to apply a safe and effective repellent according to it's product label.

03/24/2026

Crane flies are harmless flying insects. They emerge from moist soil as the weather starts to warm. People often confuse them with giant mosquitoes but they don't bite or spread disease. They are often called 'mosquito eaters' as well.....but they don't actually eat mosquitoes either! These are not a pest to worry about, even if they are a bit annoying. Just swat them back out the door and continue on with your day.

03/17/2026

Happy St. Patrick's Day! We hope everyone has fun today, but be sure a green pool isn't part of your celebration! Unmaintained pools are a major source of mosquitoes in the Antelope Valley. With the recent unusually warm temperatures, the District is noticing some early mosquito activity. It is imperative to get pools up and running to prevent creating a mosquito issue for you and your neighbors. Call us to report a dirty pool or mosquito nuisance: 661.942.2917

03/04/2026

We are hiring an Assistant Vector Control Technician for the upcoming 2026 season! The position is temporary, but with the potential for permanent placement. If you are looking for a rewarding job in the Vector Control field, please apply at: www.avmosquito.org/employment

03/02/2026

Throughout Southern California, there has been a large amount of rain over the past few weeks. That has been followed up by an unseasonably warm handful of days. This combination has residents noticing mosquitoes starting to re-emerge already. Don't forget to eliminate standing water around your property after the rain to prevent a mosquito nuisance in your yard!

Mosquitoes are biting into Southern Californians' ankles a little too early in the year. Here's why

10/31/2025

Mosquitoes are the real monsters out this Halloween. Scare them off by emptying any containers that can hold water for more than 3 days! Think: buckets, bird baths, sand toys, recycling bins, watering cans and plant saucers. These invasive Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes are tricky, and they look for tiny "cryptic" sources of stagnant water to lay their eggs in. If you get rid of the water sources, you will lessen your mosquito problem. What a treat. Don't forget to apply your EPA approved repellent. Always follow label directions closely. Happy Halloween!

10/27/2025

LA County has had it's first West Nile Virus death for the 2025 season. The death occurred in the San Fernando area. West Nile virus is present throughout California and can be transmitted by mosquitoes. It is important for the community to stay vigilant with personal mosquito control measures and invest in a reliable repellent. Your repellent should contain DEET, Picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus or IR3535 as the active ingredient. The District recommends at least a 20% concentration. The active ingredient and the concentration will both be listed on the bottle. Follow label directions closely.

The patient was a San Fernando Valley resident who was hospitalized and died of neurological illness caused by severe West Nile virus, health officials said.

10/02/2025

Did you know?! Mosquitoes undergo four stages of life: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Eggs are laid in or near water, hatch into larvae (“wrigglers”), develop into pupae, and finally emerge as flying adults. Mosquitoes cannot complete their lifecycle without water, which is why the District is consistently reminding the community to eliminate sources of stagnant water. The Antelope Valley is experiencing an influx of an invasive species of mosquito called Aedes aegypti. This type of mosquito prefers to lay eggs on the sides of small containers that contain stagnant water. Containers and objects like these are typically found in yards (where the District doesn't have direct access to). Their eggs can survive dry conditions for months, hatching when the container fills and floods the eggs. In contrast, our native Culex mosquitoes typically lay clusters of eggs, called rafts, directly on the surface of nutrient-rich, polluted water like ditches, basins, drains, or ponds (areas that the District does have direct access to and regularly monitors and addresses). These breeding differences affect where control measures should be targeted for each species. With this invasive Aedes mosquito moving into town and preferring to breed in yards and small, sneaky areas, residents should be extra vigilant about personal mosquito control measures around their own property. This graphic shows a few ways you can help stop mosquitoes from breeding in your yard.

09/22/2025

The best way to achieve mosquito control is source reduction. This means eliminating the sources of standing water that mosquitoes can breed in. Think:
• Buckets, cans, and bottles left outdoors
• Flowerpots and plant saucers
• Old tires
• Bird baths
• Clogged gutters
• Pet water bowls (if not cleaned/refilled often)
• Kiddie pools or unused swimming pools
• Rain barrels without tight lids or screens
• Tarps that collect rainwater
• Trash or recycling bins without drainage
• Outdoor toys that hold water (like plastic slides, sand toys or wagons)
Any container that can hold stagnant water for more than a few days can become a mosquito breeding site. Source reduction is the most effective way to reduce mosquitoes because even if you are able to achieve some knockdown of adult mosquitoes with a mosquito spray, the mosquitoes will just be back in a matter of days if you don’t get rid of the water source they are coming from.
Adult mosquito mitigation through spraying is temporary, but in order to maximize the effectiveness of outdoor mosquito spraying, you should target the areas where adult mosquitoes rest, breed, and hide—not just the open air. Here’s where to focus:
1. Shaded, Humid, Dark Areas
• Why: Mosquitoes rest here during the day to avoid sun and wind.
• Where to Spray:
o Undersides of leaves on shrubs and bushes
o Tall grasses and dense vegetation
o Around and under decks, patios, and porches
o Under eaves, rooflines, and awnings, furniture
o Inside sheds, garages, or other structures
o Around woodpiles
• Pro Tip: Always spray low and under foliage, not just the top.
2. Standing Water Zones (But don’t spray directly on water)
• Why: Adults stay nearby, and females come to lay eggs.
• Where to Spray Around:
o Edges of ponds, birdbaths, fountains (spray vegetation around, not into the water)
o Near clogged gutters, rain barrels, or low-lying areas
o Around planters, buckets, or tarps that collect water
If you want to treat water sources, use larvicides — not adult mosquito sprays.
The best time to spray is early morning or late evening when mosquitoes are most active and resting on vegetation or in protected areas.

09/18/2025

The California Department of Public Health has officially confirmed the first LA County human cases of West Nile virus for the 2025 season. Some are in the Antelope Valley. Click the link to view the whole press release: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/phcommon/public/media/mediapubdetail.cfm?unit=media&ou=ph&prog=media&cur=cur&prid=5143&row=25&start=1