Dulles and the surrounding Northern Virginia region including Sterling, Ashburn, Herndon, Reston, and the broader Loudoun and Fairfax County corridors provide ideal conditions for mosquito activity from late spring through fall. With wooded neighborhoods, wetlands, creek systems, and warm, humid summers, the area supports a diverse population of mosquito species that thrive in both natural and suburban environments.
While many mosquitoes are nuisance biters, others are tied to regional disease surveillance and monitored throughout the warm season.
The most aggressive and widespread mosquito across Northern Virginia.
Key traits:
Prominent daytime biter, especially in shaded yards.
Easily identified by its black-and-white striped legs and body.
Breeds in containers around homes — flowerpots, toys, gutters, buckets, and clogged drains.
Populations surge after rainfall and warm, humid weather.
Major nuisance species across suburban neighborhoods.
Less common than the Asian tiger mosquito but increasingly observed in parts of Northern Virginia due to shifting climate patterns.
Key traits:
Very active daytime biter.
Prefers densely populated residential areas.
Breeds in small, artificial containers.
Known for transmitting Zika, Dengue, and Chikungunya in tropical climates (rare locally).
A major nuisance species throughout Loudoun and Fairfax counties.
Key traits:
Emerges in large numbers after heavy rain or flooding.
Aggressive biter at dusk, dawn, and shaded locations.
Common along stream corridors, parks, and low-lying wooded areas.
Not typically associated with disease transmission, but extremely common.
A key mosquito associated with West Nile virus in Northern Virginia.
Key traits:
Breeds in stagnant water with organic material — gutters, storm drains, birdbaths, retention ponds.
Primarily active during evening and nighttime hours.
Populations peak during warm, stagnant summer nights.
Frequently monitored by local health departments.
