Mosquito and Vector Management District of Santa Barbara County

Aw, rats! When nights are cold, rats seek warm places to nestle in, like car engines.

On chilly nights, rats will look for warm places to shelter. A car engine seems like an unlikely place for rats to nestle in for the night but it makes sense since it gets to a perfectly warm temperature up inside a few hours after the vehicle has been parked. The rats also get the added bonus of being hidden…

Time to Dump, Drain and Empty!

Check your yard for any standing water that may have accumulated in containers and other places after it rains or after watering in your yard. Mosquitoes are attracted to stagnant water and will lay their eggs on the surface. Mosquito larvae will hatch out after several days and will develop into adult…

Where do mosquitoes breed around your home?

These are some common examples of places where water collects and where mosquitoes commonly lay their eggs and complete their development.

Fungus gnats: Mosquito look-alikes

Every winter we get many calls about these insects flying around inside homes. Fortunately, they do not bite and are mostly just a nuisance. Learn more about these pests here:

West Nile Virus: Reporting a dead bird to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH)

The CDPH West Nile Virus Dead Bird call center is now closed for the the rest of 2023 and will re-open in the Spring of 2024. To report a dead bird, visit the CDPH Dead Bird reporting web page at westnile.ca.gov/report and fill out an online dead bird reporting form. After filing an online report you will also…

Invasive Aedes mosquitoes

Non-native mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti have been detected in Santa Barbara County. Please contact the District if you are being bitten by aggressive mosquitoes during daytime hours. These mosquitoes like to bite around the feet and ankles which is why residents being tormented by these pests call them "ankle…

Tick Talk

District personnel once collected 0ver 120 ticks from the first 1/4 mile of the Cold Springs Trail! When venturing outdoors to enjoy our local trails and wilderness areas, be sure to take these precautions to avoid picking up these unwanted hitchhikers:

West Nile Virus

Click here to read a press release about the detection of West Nile Virus in Santa Barbara County in October 2020.

Mosquito activity spikes in our local saltwater marshes

At the end of July and continuing into August the Mosquito & Vector Management District (MVMD) received many reports of aggressive mosquitoes from residents living near the Goleta Slough. The MVMD was hard at work to address this problem by inspecting and treating well-known mosquito breeding sites. Unseen…

Mosquito Control Awareness

Controlling mosquitoes is a year-round job. Find out how you can "Fight the Bite"!

About Us

The Mosquito and Vector Management District of Santa Barbara County is an independent special district that controls and monitors disease-carrying mosquitoes and rodents. We regularly test for vectored diseases and educate the public on how to reduce the probability of contracting such diseases. As a local…

We're Here to Protect You

A yellow fever mosquito feeding and filling up with blood.

Invasive Aedes mosquitoes

Non-native mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti, have been detected in Santa Barbara County. To learn more about the threats they pose and what you can do to prevent their breeding, you can read more here:

Mosquitofish and mosquito larvae

Mosquitofish

Mosquitofish are available from the District free of charge to the public living in our enhanced and basic service areas. These tiny fish, native to the southern U.S., are close relatives of the…

Sorting mosquitoes under a microscope

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