SAN DIEGO (KGTV)- San Diego County's Vector Control Program is responding to a spike in mosquito activity along coastal areas, driven by a combination of unusually high tides, warmer temperatures, and higher humidity.
Raymond Rivera, a vector ecologist with San Diego County, said the conditions have been ideal for salt marsh mosquitoes to breed and multiply.
"We have had unusually high tides coupled with the warmer temperatures and higher humidity, it's causing the ideal conditions for these insects to increase their life cycle," Rivera said.
The species behind the surge is Aedes taeniorhynchus, commonly known as the black salt marsh mosquito. Rivera said high tides leave behind pockets of water that turn into brackish water, creating prime breeding grounds.
"Here we have one of the Aedes taeniorhynchus, the black salt marsh mosquito, where we're seeing high numbers of them along the coastline," Rivera said.
"These are places where these high tides leave pockets of water that turn into brackish water, and it breeds these mosquitoes," Rivera said.
While the bites from these mosquitoes are known to be painful, Rivera said they do not spread human disease the way other mosquito species do. He also noted that, unlike the mosquitoes most people are used to encountering, this species is active throughout the day.
"While we usually think of those mosquitoes that are either at dawn or dusk, that's what people usually encounter, these salt marsh mosquitoes are actually very active during daytime hours also," Rivera said.
Vector Control crews are currently inspecting coastal salt marshes and treating known breeding areas. The program is also planning its next round of routine aerial larvicide applications next week to target mosquitoes before they reach adulthood.
"We actually also have extra staff and extra teams going out there and surveying the areas and treating when needed," Rivera said.
Anyone who encounters mosquitoes while visiting the coast can report them to the San Diego County Vector Control Program online.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
