Los Angeles has added an unwelcome title to its list of distinctions: it is now considered the most mosquito-infested city in the United States.
Record-breaking heatwaves, combined with El Niño conditions, have created ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes across Southern California.
Frustrated residents say they have endured months of relentless attacks, with swarms disrupting backyard activities and turning outdoor dining into an itchy, ankle-biting ordeal.
“I’ve been here my whole life, and the number of mosquitoes I’ve seen this summer has been insane,” one TikTok user wrote in a post that received more than 21,000 likes.
She said the insects have made her backyard nearly unusable. “You can’t even sit in your car with the windows down. They’re infested everywhere,” she added.
Truman Hedding of El Segundo said he spends his nights hunting mosquitoes and swatting them with an electric racket.
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“Our kids have been covered from head to toe in mosquito bites… It’s an absolute nightmare. We invest a lot of money to live in a beautiful town like El Segundo. The last thing we want is to stay up all night fighting mosquitoes,” Hedding told Fox 11.
Los Angeles County has reported more than 180 West Nile virus cases this year, marking its sharpest increase in nearly a decade, according to the local public health department.
The region’s native Culex mosquitoes acquire West Nile virus from infected wild birds and can then transmit it to people. In neighboring Orange County, vector control officials have collected a staggering 850 traps containing mosquitoes that tested positive for West Nile virus, the Guardian reports.
Adding to the concern are highly aggressive invasive Aedes mosquitoes. Often called “ankle-biters,” they target people’s legs and may bite repeatedly during a single attack.
