Virginia Beach Takes Action to Curb Mosquito Activity
Mosquito season has begun, and crews are working to keep the number of tiny pests down.
Mosquito season in Virginia runs from May through early November, with activity peaking in July and August. Virginia Beach is especially prone to mosquito breeding, with at least 30 species found throughout the city. As the season ramps up, Virginia Beach Public Works Mosquito Control Bureau is working diligently to reduce mosquito populations and limit breeding sites.
What the City Is Doing
Public Works provides a range of services to reduce mosquito breeding through work performed in their biology laboratory and through targeted mosquito‑control efforts throughout the city.
Key services include:
- Ditch Maintenance: Crews maintain mosquito control ditches to reduce standing water and limit areas where mosquitoes can lay eggs and mature. No chemicals are used in this process.
- Larviciding: From May through October, daytime crews treat standing water at known breeding sites with products that target immature mosquitoes before they can develop, fly and bite. Each season, crews treat roughly 1,000 acres of standing water.
- Adult Mosquito Spraying: The nighttime team conducts adulticiding, using truck-mounted equipment to apply pesticides in areas with high adult mosquito populations. Each summer, crews treat approximately 500,000-700,000 acres.
- Spraying Information: Call 757-385-1590 after 3 p.m. daily for the nighttime spray schedule or view the mosquito spraying map to see where spraying is taking place.
What Residents Can Do
While Public Works provides extensive mosquito control services, residents also play an important role in reducing mosquito activity at home.
A few simple steps can reduce breeding around your home:
- Tip and toss containers collecting water weekly
- Remove old tires, toys and clutter
- Empty birdbaths or treat with larvicide
- Clean clogged gutters and downspouts
- Empty water from tarps, boats and flat surfaces
- Clear ditches and fill puddles with soil or gravel
- Use mosquito dunks in standing water you can’t remove
- Mow, trim and rake grass
Items left on the ground should be removed, as the shaded spaces beneath them create ideal hiding spots for mosquitoes. Clearing these areas helps reduce places where mosquitoes can rest and gather.
Request a free yard inspection and treatment
Residents can request a yard inspection or Mosquito Control services by calling 757-385-1470. Staff will visit the location to check for breeding sites and adult mosquitoes. If breeding areas are found, the team will treat the site and provide a pamphlet with tips for reducing mosquitoes around the home.
Residents must be present during the inspection and sign a consent form before work can begin. Treatment is limited to one application per residence between May and October.
Protect Yourself and Keep Mosquitoes Out
Keeping mosquitoes out of your home and preventing bites starts with a few simple tips that make a noticeable difference.
Tips include:
- Wearing loose, light-colored clothing and covering as much skin as possible with long sleeves, pants and socks
- Applying permethrin to clothing (never skin) before wearing
- Keeping doors closed when possible
- Fixing and using window and door screens
- Using an EPA-registered insect repellent with at least 30% DEET, or one containing picaridin, IR3535, 2-undecanone, or oil of lemon eucalyptus
For children:
- No repellent for babies under 2 months
- Avoid oil of lemon eucalyptus on kids under 3
- Use repellents with less than 30% DEET on children
Together with Public Works Mosquito Control efforts, these tips can help limit mosquito activity around your home.