Miami-Dade County urges residents to prepare for upcoming springtime mosquito resurgence

With warmer weather and spring upon us, mosquito season is fast approaching. In the coming months, mosquito activity will reach its peak, fueled by higher rainfall and warmer temperatures, creating ideal conditions for mosquitoes to thrive. As always, residents are encouraged to take proactive measures: eliminate standing water from rain or irrigation to prevent breeding and protect yourself from bites by covering exposed skin or using repellent.

"Peak mosquito season here in South Florida is timed with the rainy season, or approximately May through October, and that means that the conditions ideal for breeding will be present almost every day," says Department of Solid Waste Management Director Aneisha Daniel, PhD. "We urge all residents to continue to fight the bite by draining any standing water they find on their property and to apply an EPA-registered mosquito repellent before spending time outdoors in order to prevent bites."

Mosquito populations are monitored using more than 300 mosquito traps set throughout Miami-Dade. Serviced weekly by a team of surveillance technicians, the data collected includes species composition, abundance, and infection rates. This information, along with disease reports from the Florida Department of Health (FDOH), and resident complaints, drives treatment applications.

"We are fully staffed and totally prepared for the coming busy season having spent the slower months training new and cross-training existing staff," offers Division Chief Dr. John-Paul Mutebi. "We remain extremely vigilant in light of the continuing entry of travel-related cases of dengue, and the presence of other mosquito-borne illnesses in the area." The division recently added a fourth truck-mounted larviciding vehicle to its fleet, augmenting its capacity to preventively treat large areas.

Miami-Dade remains under a FDOH-declared mosquito borne illness alert due to the high incidence of imported dengue cases. Although the number of locally transmitted cases were reduced by 70% in 2024 as compared to the year prior, there is still a significant risk posed by frequent travel to disease hotspots such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Brazil. Miami-Dade’s Mosquito Control Division urges residents to Drain and Cover and request a mosquito inspection if the nuisance issue is too intense or persistent.

There are three ways to request an inspection: calling the County’s 311 Contact Center, online through miamidade.gov/311direct, or by downloading and installing the MDC Solid Waste mobile app available for Android and iPhone.  

Here are some additional tips to help residents beat back mosquitoes this spring: 

•    Get rid any objects not in use and that can collect water, such as toys, planters, tires, or home appliances
•    Install fine mesh screening on doors, windows, porches, or patios, and be sure to keep them in a good state of repair
•    Regularly add larvicide containing Bti in granular form to bromeliads, and dunk form to fountains or decorative ponds
•    Ensure that rain gutters are free and clear of debris to keep them from clogging and facilitating breeding
•    Change out the water in outdoor pet dishes and birdbaths once a week to disrupt the mosquito life cycle
•    Ensure that car and boat tarps are installed and or stored properly so that they do not accumulate rain or irrigation water
•    Add sand to tree and lawn holes to prevent them from collecting water

To learn more about the County’s mosquito control program and get additional tips, please visit miamidade.gov/mosquito.