Today's Mosquito Risk in Arkansas: Real-Time Forecast & Activity Map
Check your ZIP code for local mosquito activity, West Nile risk, and prevention insights.
Built from CDC and NOAA data
Mosquito Surveillance Insights
- Annual WNV Cases
- about 30 to 60 confirmed cases annually
- Based on CDC ArboNET surveillance data
- Risk Tier
- Tier 1: Peak Pressure
- Delta rice fields create perfect Cx. tarsalis and Aedes vexans habitat; Ozark uplands stay moderate.
- Per mosquito-risk-model regional tier
- Highest-Risk Areas
- Pulaski, Craighead, Sebastian (WNV); Arkansas and Poinsett (Delta rice Cx. tarsalis); Chicot and Desha (southeast Aedes aegypti)
Current Situation in Arkansas
Arkansas runs two distinct mosquito profiles. The Mississippi Alluvial Plain in the eastern third of the state pulls T1 Delta-climate intensity, while the Ozark and Ouachita uplands stay closer to a moderate Mid-South profile. WNV burden runs roughly 30 to 60 confirmed human cases annually. The Delta rice-farming corridor, with hundreds of thousands of irrigated acres across counties like Arkansas, Poinsett, and Cross, produces the country's most concentrated Cx. tarsalis habitat outside the Plains, alongside heavy Aedes vexans floodwater hatches. Aedes albopictus is established statewide. Aedes aegypti shows in southeastern Delta corner counties like Chicot and Desha. Cx. quinquefasciatus dominates Culex transmission in the southern half, with Cx. pipiens taking over in the northern Ozarks. Biting season runs April through October.
Snapshot of the current mosquito situation in Arkansas, drawn from CDC ArboNET surveillance and the regional risk model.
- Risk Level
- Moderate
- Peak Activity
- March through November
- Dominant Vector
- Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus) statewide; Western Encephalitis Mosquito (Culex tarsalis) Delta rice corridor
Where Mosquitoes Breed in Arkansas
Arkansas mosquito habitat is unusually layered for a single state. The Mississippi Alluvial Plain, locally called the Delta, runs along the eastern third of the state and holds rice farmland, the Mississippi and White River bottomlands, and Crowley's Ridge as a dry island in the middle. The rice fields and irrigation canals across Arkansas, Poinsett, Cross, and Lonoke counties produce dense Cx. tarsalis populations through summer. The White River and Arkansas River bottomlands sustain Aedes vexans hatches after summer storms. The Ouachita Mountains in the southwest and the Ozark Mountains in the north produce woodland Aedes triseriatus and Aedes vexans off forested wetlands and beaver ponds. The Buffalo River corridor and Hot Springs valley hold seasonal forest mosquito populations. Storm drains and tire piles across Little Rock, Fort Smith, Fayetteville, and Jonesboro carry the urban Aedes albopictus load. Texarkana and the Red River corner round out the southern habitat mix.
Hotspot Counties & Areas
- Pulaski County (Little Rock metro)
- Sebastian County (Fort Smith, Arkansas River)
- Washington County (Fayetteville, Ozarks)
- Craighead County (Jonesboro, Crowley's Ridge edge)
- Arkansas and Poinsett counties (Delta rice corridor, Cx. tarsalis hotspot)
- Chicot and Desha counties (southeast Delta, Aedes aegypti corner)
- Garland County (Hot Springs, Ouachita Mountains)
- Buffalo River corridor (Ozark woodland Aedes)
Seasonal Activity Pattern
Biting starts in early April in the Delta and along the Red River corner, peaks late July through August, and tapers through October. WNV cases concentrate in August across Little Rock, the Delta rice corridor, and Jonesboro. The rice-farming irrigation cycle keeps Cx. tarsalis populations high from June through September across the eastern third of the state, mirroring the Plains pattern more than the rest of the South. Aedes albopictus daytime biting in suburban yards runs heavy from May through October. The Ozark Mountains and Ouachita hollows run a week or two behind the Delta on phenology, with peak forest biting in mid to late July. Heavy summer storms produce floodwater Aedes pulses along the White, Mississippi, and Arkansas River bottomlands.
Monthly Biting Intensity (Gulf South)
Arkansas Mosquito Risk Profile
- WNV burden level
- Moderate
- about 30 to 60 confirmed cases annually
- EEE risk
- Rare
- Peak biting season
- April through October
- Top urban risk areas
- Little Rock (Pulaski)
- Fayetteville (Washington)
- Fort Smith (Sebastian)
- Jonesboro (Craighead)
Signature habitat: Mississippi River alluvial plain, rice farmland, Ozark hollows, White River bottomlands.
Climate driver: Delta rice fields create perfect Cx. tarsalis and Aedes vexans habitat; Ozark uplands stay moderate.
Check Your Local Mosquito Risk
Ready to see current mosquito activity in your area? Get today's forecast and personalized risk assessment for your ZIP code.
Common Mosquitoes in Arkansas
Understanding which mosquitoes are active in Arkansas helps you identify threats and take appropriate precautions. Click any card for details.
Yellow Fever Mosquito
Aedes aegypti
Risk: Zika, dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya.
Key feature: Black body with white lyre-shaped markings on the thorax.
Active: Year-round in southern Florida and the Gulf; summer-only further north.
Asian Tiger Mosquito
Aedes albopictus
Risk: Eastern Equine Encephalitis, dengue, chikungunya, Zika, dog heartworm.
Key feature: A single bright white stripe down the center of the back.
Active: Spring through first hard frost. Eggs overwinter in cold climates and hatch when flooded by spring rain.
Southern House Mosquito
Culex quinquefasciatus
Risk: West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis, dog heartworm.
Key feature: Medium brown body with banded abdominal segments and no leg stripes.
Active: Year-round in the deep South; summer peak elsewhere. Most active from dusk through the first few hours after sunset.
Zika Virus
Vector: Yellow Fever Mosquito
Zika Virus
Linked to severe birth defects when contracted during pregnancy. About 80% of adult infections cause no symptoms.
What to watch for
- Onset typically 2 to 15 days after a bite
- Most cases mild or asymptomatic, small fraction severe
- Neurological signs (severe headache, neck stiffness, confusion) need ER care
Breaking the Cycle in Arkansas
The mosquito lifecycle takes about a week. These habits cut local biting pressure faster than anything else, building multiple layers of protection.
Drain the Yard Weekly
Empty buckets, planter saucers, kiddie pools, tarps, and clogged gutters. A week of standing water is one full mosquito generation.
Repel Before Going Out
EPA-registered DEET (20-30%), picaridin (20%), IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Apply before going outside, especially at dusk and dawn.
Seal the House
Window and door screens with no tears. AC and porch fans both work. Mosquitoes struggle to fly upwind even at 1-2 mph air speed.
Treat Outdoor Clothing
Permethrin-treated long sleeves and pants for evening yard work, hiking, or fishing. Remains effective through 70+ wash cycles.
If You Develop Symptoms
Most mosquito bites are harmless. A small fraction can transmit illness, and knowing the timeline matters more than panicking at every itch.Five things to know.
Watch for fever
Fever, body aches, headache, or fatigue 2 to 15 days after a bite. West Nile often feels like flu, and most infections never get diagnosed.
Note where and when
A rough record of where and when you got bitten helps your doctor decide what to test for. Date, location, mosquito-heavy areas you visited.
Get help fast for neuro signs
Severe headache, neck stiffness, confusion, vision changes, or sudden muscle weakness can mean neuroinvasive WNV or EEE. Both are medical emergencies.
Pregnant exposure?
If pregnant and bitten in an area with documented Zika or local dengue transmission, mention to your OB. Same goes for travel exposure.
Children and seniors
Higher risk of severe disease from WNV, EEE, and dengue in adults over 60 and children under 5. Early call to the pediatrician or PCP if symptoms appear.
When does mosquito season end in Arkansas?
Mosquito activity winds down after the first hard freeze, which in Arkansas typically arrives around Oct 30. See the local first-frost window and city-by-city freeze dates.
Arkansas first frost datesAlso worried about ticks in Arkansas?
Lyme disease risk and tick activity track different seasonal patterns than mosquitoes. See your Arkansas tick forecast.
View Arkansas tick forecastStay Safe in Arkansas
Get personalized mosquito forecasts and prevention tips for your area