Temecula and Murrieta area Is Being Invaded by Aggressive Biting Mosquitoes?

Many Temecula and Murrieta residents are seeking answers and solutions to a new aggressive species that has invaded the region.

The small but mighty Aedes mosquito is an aggressive insect that leaves behind painful, irritating bite marks. Aedes mosquitoes are typically found in tropical and subtropical environments. Their new home is Southern California where they are reproducing at an astounding rate. Riverside County Vector control often calls them “ankle biters.” They aggressively bite humans and leave behind sore, swollen and itch-laden marks.               While this may sound like one of Hollywood’s science-fiction scripts, it is far more an unsavory reality than residents in the area are comfortable with.                                           Many people in Southern California are complaining about having the bite marks “all over” their bodies. Worse more, the Aedes mosquito loves to bite people during the day, which is a bit less typical of mosquitoes which generally feed in the evening hours.

The bites start off as a small prick but quickly become inflamed and irritated. They can end up looking like a rash. Some of this effect has to do with the human immune system not being used to them. They are foreign invaders in an area that simply hasn’t had the Aedes until recently. Many people have ended up in urgent care of numerous bites.

“We were got absolutely overwhelmed last summer with calls”, Daniel Wheeler, CEO of Wheeler's Pest Control said. 

“We typically find communities where the first-year levels are kind of low and some people report a problem. By the second or third year, a lot of people are dealing with these mosquitoes.”

Both Los Angeles, Orange County and Riverside Counties are feeling the wrath of their newest inhabitant. Parts of San Bernardino and San Diego are also starting to get acquainted with the mosquitoes as they begin spreading east and south. Riverside County Vector Control said Aedes population doubled in 2016 to 2017, doubled again in 2018 to 2019 and are expected to double again in 2020.

While the Aedes mosquito is capable of carrying dengue fever, Zika virus, chikungunya, and yellow fever, the main issue so far is the irritating bite marks being left on unsuspecting people in the area. But that doesn’t mean the door isn’t open for another Pandemic situation. The fact that the Aedes mosquito is thriving and breeding means that the region is being set up for such potential.

There are three different types of the Aedes mosquito invading Southern California. The Aedes aegypti, which caused the yellow fever outbreak of 2014. The Aedes notoscriptus. And the edes albopictus, or Asian tiger mosquito.

The Aedes mosquito don’t travel all that well, but their eggs do. Their eggs are often nested in potted plants or cars that help them travel far and wide.

It is recommended that people in the area use lemon eucalyptus or Picaridin as a way to help stave off the aggressive mosquitoes. DEET based insect sprays are another, more aggressive and chemically potent, possibility for those who feel more holistic-based formulas aren’t working.

The rise in humidity in Temecula and Murrieta over the past decade has played into the Aedes mosquitos’ corner and keep them thriving; in other words, get used to them, they plan to stay for a while.