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  When are mosquitoes most active? Activity time depends on many factors including: the species of mosquito, the time of day, and the weather. However, in order to target certain mosquitoes for control, it is necessary to know when they are most active. For example, if mosquito control treats for a particular species at 6 a.m., and they are not active until 9 a.m., then effective control is difficult to achieve.
Culex nigripalpus is one of the mosquito species the District targets for control because it is the vector of West Nile virus. It is a difficult species to control because of its habits, such as host seeking times, and its preference for resting in heavy vegetation. During the 2008 mosquito season, the Research Department conducted a study to determine the host seeking activity period for Cx. nigripalpus in order to ensure that the District is performing treatment missions when this species is active.
A programmable trap was set up in an area known for high Cx. nigripalpus populations. The trap was programmed to collect mosquitoes into different collection jars at 3 hour intervals, starting at 5:00 pm and ending at 11:00 am. The mosquitoes were processed and the number of Cx. nigripalpus was recorded for each collection interval.
After examining the data from the study, the District determined that the Cx. nigripalpus in the tested habitat are highly active during the time aerial treatments are conducted and should be impacted. However, the District will continue to monitor Cx. nigripalpus activity time in the future at other locations.
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