LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – If you’re noticing more mosquito bites than usual for this time of year, an aggressive species of mosquitoes new to the Las Vegas valley could be to blame.
They’re called Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes. Since 2017, they’ve spread from just six Las Vegas valley zip codes to 43, according to Southern Nevada Health District officials.
“They love to live in our backyards, they prefer to feed on people, and they will bite you relentlessly,” Environmental Health Specialist Vivek Ramen says.
Ramen says in 2023 the Health District’s Mosquito Surveillance Team received 700 mosquito complaints, compared to the yearly average of around 100.
“Instead of sitting and getting blood until it’s full and then flying off, it will take a sip from this side, and then maybe jump to your other leg and take a little sip of blood,” he says.
The species also breeds in small amounts of water, like backyard planters, buckets and bird baths.
The Mosquito Surveillance Team tracks mosquitoes from April to October, setting thousands of traps around the valley.
Environmental Health Specialist, Christian DeHaan, says one of their regular trap sites is Pioneer Park.
“They’re attracted to the water, the mixture with rabbit food and yeast. So they’re attracted, and then as they approach this funnel they get sucked in,” DeHaan says. “We’ll set here, generally, every four to six weeks. So we can see as the year progresses if we get an increase of mosquitoes.”
Once trapped, they’ll take the mosquitos back to the lab where they’ll be sorted by sex and species, and checked to see if they’re carrying diseases.
Ramen says this is a cruel step for a county that welcomes so many visitors each year.
“We’re a community that has 42 million tourists that come into our community, who knows what diseases may be circulating in their system that could be picked up by mosquitos,” Ramen says.
If you’ve noticed more mosquitoes than usual in the area, you can reach out to the team at (702) 759-1633.
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