Today's Mosquito Risk in Georgia: 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 50 to 100 confirmed cases annually
- Based on CDC ArboNET surveillance data
- Risk Tier
- Tier 3: Moderate
- South Georgia counties bordering Florida sit at the edge of the Aedes aegypti range.
- Per mosquito-risk-model regional tier
- Highest-Risk Areas
- Fulton, DeKalb, Richmond, Muscogee (WNV); Charlton and Ware (Okefenokee EEE); Chatham (coastal)
Current Situation in Georgia
Georgia carries one of the heavier mosquito profiles in the Southeast, with roughly 50 to 100 confirmed WNV cases annually and a Florida-adjacent corner of southern counties that runs at the very-high tier. The Atlanta metro drives most absolute case counts through dense Cx. quinquefasciatus and Aedes albopictus populations in the Chattahoochee River corridor and suburban Fulton, DeKalb, and Cobb counties. Coastal Savannah and Brunswick hold heavy salt-marsh biting. The Okefenokee Swamp on the Florida border produces Culiseta melanura and the state's most consistent EEE focus. Aedes aegypti is present in the southeastern corner and slowly creeping north. Biting season runs April through October.
Snapshot of the current mosquito situation in Georgia, drawn from CDC ArboNET surveillance and the regional risk model.
- Risk Level
- Moderate
- Peak Activity
- April through October
- Dominant Vector
- Southern House Mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus); Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus) statewide
Where Mosquitoes Breed in Georgia
Georgia mosquito habitat ranges from the Okefenokee Swamp and Coastal Plain salt marsh to the Atlanta metro storm drains and the Piedmont kudzu corridors. The Okefenokee, the largest blackwater swamp in the country, sustains Culiseta melanura tied to EEE bridge cycling. Coastal salt marsh from Savannah down through the Golden Isles and Cumberland Island produces dense Aedes sollicitans and Aedes taeniorhynchus. The Atlanta metro holds enormous Cx. quinquefasciatus and Aedes albopictus populations in catch basins, abandoned pools, and tire piles across Fulton, DeKalb, and Gwinnett. The Chattahoochee River corridor and Stone Mountain area sustain seasonal Aedes vexans. The Savannah River bottomlands round out the habitat mix.
Hotspot Counties & Areas
- Fulton County (Atlanta metro, Chattahoochee corridor)
- DeKalb County (Atlanta east, Stone Mountain)
- Richmond County (Augusta, Savannah River)
- Muscogee County (Columbus, Chattahoochee)
- Chatham County (Savannah, coastal salt marsh)
- Glynn County (Brunswick, Golden Isles)
- Charlton and Ware counties (Okefenokee Swamp EEE focus)
- Cobb and Gwinnett (Atlanta suburb albopictus)
Seasonal Activity Pattern
Biting starts in early April across the Coastal Plain, peaks late July through September, and tapers through October with a long tail into November in Savannah and the southern counties. WNV cases concentrate in August across Atlanta, Augusta, and Columbus. EEE risk in the Okefenokee and Coastal Plain swamps peaks late August through October. Salt-marsh biting in Savannah and the Golden Isles spikes around full-moon high tides. Aedes albopictus daytime biting in Atlanta suburbs runs heavy from May through October. South Georgia counties bordering Florida see year-round biting in mild winters.
Monthly Biting Intensity (Southeast)
Georgia Mosquito Risk Profile
- WNV burden level
- Moderate
- about 50 to 100 confirmed cases annually
- EEE risk
- Documented in coastal swamps
- Peak biting season
- April through October
- Top urban risk areas
- Atlanta (Fulton)
- Augusta (Richmond)
- Savannah (Chatham)
- Columbus (Muscogee)
Signature habitat: Okefenokee Swamp, coastal salt marsh, Atlanta storm drains, Piedmont kudzu corridors.
Climate driver: South Georgia counties bordering Florida sit at the edge of the Aedes aegypti range.
Check Your Local Mosquito Risk
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Common Mosquitoes in Georgia
Understanding which mosquitoes are active in Georgia helps you identify threats and take appropriate precautions. Click any card for details.
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.
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.
Eastern Equine Encephalitis
Vector: Asian Tiger Mosquito
Eastern Equine Encephalitis
Rare but devastating, with roughly 30% case fatality. Concentrated in Northeast swamp areas and the Gulf Coast.
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 Georgia
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.
Heading to a lake in Georgia?
Live water temperatures and swim conditions for Lake Lanier.
See Georgia lake temperaturesWhen does mosquito season end in Georgia?
Mosquito activity winds down after the first hard freeze, which in Georgia typically arrives around Nov 10. See the local first-frost window and city-by-city freeze dates.
Georgia first frost datesAlso worried about ticks in Georgia?
Lyme disease risk and tick activity track different seasonal patterns than mosquitoes. See your Georgia tick forecast.
View Georgia tick forecastStay Safe in Georgia
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