Invasive Aedes mosquitoes
Non-native mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti, were first detected in Santa Barbara County in September 2020 and were last detected in May 2021. However, in July 2026 they have been found in Carpinteria.
Non-native Australian backyard mosquitoes were first found in Santa Barbara's West Side and Mesa neighborhoods in March and June 2026, respectively.
To learn more about the threats these species pose and what you can do to prevent their breeding, you can read more here:
Aedes aegypti brochureAedes aegypti brochure-SpanishPress release from the 2020 Aedes aegypti finds:
Invasive Aedes press releaseInformation from the California Department of Public Health on invasive Aedes mosquitoes including a map of where they are in California, educational materials, updates on Aedes-related virus infections in California and more:
Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes
Among the places around the home where mosquitoes are found breeding, inspectors in other counties where invasive Aedes are found are finding them at residences with clogged yard drains. Please be sure to check your drains for clogs and, if they are, clear out the mud, leaves, silt and other debris so water can drain out. You can also add mosquito dunks - available at many hardware and home and garden stores - if there is standing water and you can't unclog the drain immediately.
Click on these links to see videos by fellow Mosquito Districts on how to screen your drains:
Visit the Mosquito & Vector Control Association of California for information, including short videos, that explain some of the innovative technologies that can be used for controlling non-native Aedes mosquitoes: Innovative Technologies
Frequently Asked Questions about innovative technologies:
MVCAC-FAQ-Innovative-Technologies.pdfA Public Service Announcement on Aedes aegypti in Santa Barbara (produced by and in cooperation with the City of Santa Barbara):