Today's Mosquito Risk in Louisiana: 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 80 to 150 confirmed cases annually
- highest per-capita Gulf state
- Based on CDC ArboNET surveillance data
- Risk Tier
- Tier 1: Peak Pressure
- Hurricane-driven flooding triggers massive Psorophora and Aedes vexans surges; WNV transmission runs from May through frost.
- Per mosquito-risk-model regional tier
- Highest-Risk Areas
- Orleans, East Baton Rouge, Caddo, Lafayette (WNV); Atchafalaya Basin parishes (EEE); coastal parishes (year-round Aedes aegypti and hurricane floods)
Current Situation in Louisiana
Louisiana is the most distinctive mosquito state in the country. The bayou country south of I-10, the Atchafalaya Basin, and the Mississippi Delta combine to produce a public-health load that few places match: WNV burden runs roughly 80 to 150 confirmed human cases annually with the highest per-capita rate of any Gulf state, EEE outbreaks recur in cypress swamps, local dengue transmission has been documented in southern parishes, and St. Louis Encephalitis remains a historic risk. Aedes aegypti is established statewide with year-round biting in the southern parishes, and Aedes albopictus is statewide. Cx. quinquefasciatus drives WNV. Hurricane Katrina (2005), Rita (2005), and Ida (2021) each triggered Psorophora columbiae explosions that overwhelmed spray operations across the Gulf. Biting season runs March through November, with year-round activity south of I-10.
Snapshot of the current mosquito situation in Louisiana, drawn from CDC ArboNET surveillance and the regional risk model.
- Risk Level
- High
- Peak Activity
- March through November
- Dominant Vector
- Southern House Mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus); Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus) statewide
Where Mosquitoes Breed in Louisiana
Louisiana mosquito habitat is the richest and most varied in the country. The Atchafalaya Basin, the largest river-swamp wilderness in the U.S., produces enormous Culiseta melanura populations tied to EEE bridge cycling and feeds bayou-system Cx. quinquefasciatus year-round. The Mississippi Delta below New Orleans and the lower Bayou Lafourche corridor sustain dense Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus through the Cajun country parishes. Bayou Teche, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Maurepas feed the south Louisiana wetland complex. The Sabine and Red River bottomlands hold Aedes vexans and Psorophora. Coastal salt marsh from Cameron through Plaquemines Parish produces Aedes sollicitans and Aedes taeniorhynchus. Storm drains, abandoned containers, and shotgun-house catch basins across New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Shreveport carry the urban Aedes load. Pearl River swamps on the Mississippi border round out the EEE habitat.
Hotspot Counties & Areas
- Orleans Parish (New Orleans, year-round Aedes aegypti)
- East Baton Rouge Parish (Baton Rouge metro)
- Caddo Parish (Shreveport, Red River)
- Lafayette Parish (Lafayette, Cajun country)
- Jefferson Parish (Metairie, Lake Pontchartrain south shore)
- Atchafalaya Basin parishes (St. Martin, Iberville, EEE focus)
- Plaquemines and Lafourche Parishes (coastal salt marsh)
- Cameron Parish (southwest coastal marsh)
Seasonal Activity Pattern
Biting runs year-round in Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, Lafourche, and the other coastal parishes, with peak intensity April through November. WNV cases concentrate from May through frost across Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Shreveport, and Lafayette. EEE outbreaks in the Atchafalaya Basin and cypress-swamp parishes peak late August through October. Local dengue flares have been documented sporadically in southern parishes during late summer. Hurricane-driven flooding from June through November triggers Psorophora columbiae explosions within days of landfall, with biting clouds that overwhelm parish spray operations across south Louisiana. Salt-marsh Aedes biting on the coast spikes around full-moon high tides and tropical rain.
Monthly Biting Intensity (Gulf South)
Louisiana Mosquito Risk Profile
- WNV burden level
- High
- about 80 to 150 confirmed cases annually; highest per-capita Gulf state
- EEE risk
- Documented; periodic outbreaks in cypress and bottomland swamps
- Peak biting season
- year-round; peaks April through November
- Top urban risk areas
- New Orleans (Orleans)
- Baton Rouge (East Baton Rouge)
- Shreveport (Caddo)
- Lafayette (Lafayette)
Signature habitat: Atchafalaya Basin, Mississippi Delta, coastal salt marsh, cypress swamps.
Climate driver: Hurricane-driven flooding triggers massive Psorophora and Aedes vexans surges; WNV transmission runs from May through frost.
Check Your Local Mosquito Risk
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Common Mosquitoes in Louisiana
Understanding which mosquitoes are active in Louisiana 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 Louisiana
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 Louisiana?
Mosquito activity winds down after the first hard freeze, which in Louisiana typically arrives around Nov 26. See the local first-frost window and city-by-city freeze dates.
Louisiana first frost datesAlso worried about ticks in Louisiana?
Lyme disease risk and tick activity track different seasonal patterns than mosquitoes. See your Louisiana tick forecast.
View Louisiana tick forecastStay Safe in Louisiana
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