Mosquitoes in South Florida

Mosquitoes are small flies whose females need a blood meal to make eggs, and South Florida's heat, rain and standing water let them breed almost all year. Florida has more than 80 mosquito species, and a few that breed right in our yards, such as Aedes aegypti, the Asian tiger mosquito and the southern house mosquito, cause most of the bites and can spread viruses like dengue and West Nile.

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What Are Mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes are small, long-legged flies in the family Culicidae. Both males and females feed on nectar and plant sugars for energy, but only the females bite, because they need the protein in a blood meal to develop their eggs. Every mosquito goes through four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The larvae, often called “wigglers,” and the pupae live in water, so no mosquito can be produced without standing water.

There are more than 80 mosquito species in Florida, the greatest variety of any state, and Miami-Dade Mosquito Control has recorded 48 species in Miami-Dade County alone. Only a handful are serious pests around homes. Miami-Dade Mosquito Control lists three species it typically sees and monitors: Aedes aegypti (the yellow fever mosquito), Aedes albopictus (the Asian tiger mosquito) and Aedes taeniorhynchus (the black salt marsh mosquito). The southern house mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus, is also found in all 67 Florida counties and is the classic nighttime biter.

South Florida’s climate is ideal for them. Warm temperatures speed up development, and in summer some species can go from egg to adult in as little as six to seven days. The rainy season, from May through October, refills every flower pot, gutter, bromeliad and roadside ditch, and hurricane season brings storm debris that holds water for weeks. Canals, lakes, retention ponds and the mangroves along Biscayne Bay and the Keys add natural breeding habitat right next to neighborhoods.

How to Identify Mosquitoes

The mosquitoes that bite around South Florida homes are small, mostly about 4 to 7 millimeters long (a quarter inch or less), with a slender body, long legs, wings slightly longer than the body, and a long, needle-like mouthpart called a proboscis. Females have thin antennae; males have feathery (plumose) antennae and do not bite.

The common species around South Florida homes look quite different up close:

• Aedes aegypti: dark with white bands on the legs and a silvery, lyre-shaped pattern on the back of the thorax.
• Asian tiger mosquito: black and white, with a single bright white stripe down the center of the back and white-banded legs.
• Southern house mosquito (Culex): a plain, medium-sized brown mosquito with pale bands across the abdomen.
• Black salt marsh mosquito: dark, aggressive and usually seen in large numbers near the coast after high tides or heavy rain.

Several harmless insects are often mistaken for mosquitoes. Midges (sometimes called “blind mosquitoes”) swarm by the thousands near lakes and ponds in the evening, but they do not bite; their mouthparts don’t work for feeding and their wings are shorter than their bodies. Crane flies, the leggy “giant mosquitoes” that bump against walls and windows, do not bite people or animals either.

Mosquito Species in South Florida

Signs of a Mosquito Problem

• You get bitten during the day in shaded parts of the yard, on the patio or even indoors (a typical sign of Aedes mosquitoes breeding nearby).
• Bites and buzzing in the evening and at night, especially near drains, ditches or a pool that is not maintained (typical of Culex).
• Wigglers (larvae) or comma-shaped tumblers (pupae) in flower pot saucers, buckets, birdbaths, bromeliads, gutters or pool covers.
• Mosquitoes resting in garages or among dense shrubs and ground cover.
• Sudden swarms after a high tide or a heavy rain if you live near mangroves, salt marsh or the Everglades.
• Small floating rafts of eggs on the surface of dark, dirty water, such as a neglected fountain or rain barrel.

Why Mosquitoes Are a Problem

For most people the main problem is itchy bites that make it hard to enjoy a yard, a pool deck or an outdoor restaurant. But some mosquitoes can also spread viruses.

The Florida Department of Health publishes a weekly arbovirus surveillance report. Most dengue and chikungunya cases in Florida are associated with travel, but local transmission does occur: Florida has recorded locally acquired dengue in Miami-Dade in recent years, and the department issues mosquito-borne illness advisories and alerts for affected counties when local cases are found. In 2016, Miami-Dade County had the first recognized outbreak of mosquito-borne Zika transmission in the continental United States; Aedes aegypti was identified as the primary vector.

West Nile virus works differently. It circulates mainly between birds and Culex mosquitoes and only occasionally reaches people and horses. People are “dead-end” hosts, meaning a mosquito that bites an infected person does not pick up the virus. Knowing which species breeds on your property matters. If you feel sick after mosquito bites, talk to a doctor.

Where Mosquitoes Hide in South Florida Homes and Businesses

A UF/IFAS laboratory notes that as little as half a cup of water can breed enough mosquitoes to cause a problem. Common sources around South Florida properties include:

• Flower pots, plant saucers, buckets, coolers, toys, tires and trash can lids.
• Tank bromeliads and other plants that hold water in their leaves.
• Clogged roof gutters, flat roofs, AC condensate lines and water pooled on tarps, boat covers and pool covers.
• Birdbaths, fountains, rain barrels and pet bowls.
• Storm drains, catch basins, drainage ditches and low spots in the lawn.
• Swimming pools and hot tubs that are not kept chlorinated and maintained.
• Mangroves and salt marshes along the coast, which produce the salt marsh mosquitoes that blow inland.

Adults rest during the day in cool, shaded, humid places: dense hedges and ficus, ground cover, under decks and stairs, in garages and carports, and, in the case of Aedes aegypti, inside the home itself, since this species bites, rests and lays eggs both indoors and outdoors. Condos and high-rises are not immune, since balconies with potted plants and parking garages with drains can produce mosquitoes on any floor. For commercial properties such as hotels, restaurants and property management portfolios, fountains, planters and drainage around parking lots are frequent sources.

When Mosquitoes Are Most Active in South Florida

How to Prevent Mosquitoes

The Florida Department of Health’s Drain and Cover message is the foundation of mosquito prevention:

• Drain standing water from garbage cans, buckets, coolers, toys, flower pots and anything else that collects rain or sprinkler water, at least once a week.
• Discard old tires, cans, bottles, broken appliances and other items you don’t need.
• Clean birdbaths and pet water bowls at least once or twice a week (UF/IFAS suggests changing birdbath water every two or three days).
• Protect boats and vehicles with tarps that don’t collect water, and keep pools chlorinated and in good condition.
• Flush tank bromeliads with a strong stream from the hose at least once a week. UF/IFAS notes that the evidence does not support removing bromeliads, but you can treat their water with a Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) larvicide following the label, or choose varieties without a central tank.
• Clear gutters, troughs and drainage ditches so water keeps moving.
• Cover your skin with long sleeves and pants and use an EPA-registered repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535, following the label. Use mosquito netting over infants younger than 2 months.
• Cover doors and windows with screens, and repair any holes in screened porches and patios.

County mosquito control. Every South Florida county has a public program. Miami-Dade Mosquito Control (call 311) has operated since 1935 and does door-to-door inspections, larviciding and, when surveillance counts exceed standards, truck and aerial spraying. Broward County Mosquito Control serves all 31 Broward municipalities and offers residents a free inspection through 311. Palm Beach County’s mosquito control takes requests at 561-967-6480. The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District covers Monroe County, where more than 50 species occur, and in 2021 it began a pilot release of Oxitec’s genetically modified male Aedes aegypti in parts of Cudjoe, Ramrod and Vaca Key.

How Toro Gets Rid of Mosquitoes

1. Yard inspectionA Toro technician walks your property looking for standing water, bromeliads, drains, gutters and the shaded spots where adult mosquitoes rest, and points out sources you can remove yourself.
2. Species identificationDaytime biters, nighttime biters and salt marsh mosquitoes come from different places, so we identify what is biting you and where it is coming from before treating.
3. Targeted mosquito treatmentOur mosquito treatment focuses on the breeding sites and resting areas on your property, applied according to label directions.
4. Follow-up through the seasonMosquito pressure changes with every rain, so we recommend regular visits during the rainy season. Our 110% Satisfaction Guarantee means that if the bugs come back, so will Toro, at no additional cost to you.

Toro Pest Management has protected South Florida since 1969, from single-family homes in Hialeah and Doral to waterfront properties in Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Key West. We offer both residential and commercial service, respond within 24 hours, guaranteed, and the first inspection is free with $25 off your first service. Call 305-594-4767. Hablamos Español.

Mosquitoes: Frequently Asked Questions

Related Pests

• Flies
• Aedes aegypti mosquito
• Asian tiger mosquito
• Culex mosquito
• Fleas
• Bed Bugs

Pest Control Across South Florida

Toro treats mosquitoes in homes and businesses throughout Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, including:

• Miami
• Hialeah
• Doral
• Miami Beach
• Coral Gables
• Homestead
• Fort Lauderdale
• Hollywood
• Pembroke Pines
• Miramar
• Boca Raton
• West Palm Beach

Last updated: October 29, 2026