Today's Mosquito Risk in New Mexico: 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 20 to 50 confirmed cases annually
- Based on CDC ArboNET surveillance data
- Risk Tier
- Tier 2: High Pressure
- North American Monsoon (July through September) drives the entire mosquito season; outside the monsoon the desert stays dry.
- Per mosquito-risk-model regional tier
- Highest-Risk Areas
- Bernalillo, Doña Ana, Sandoval, Santa Fe (WNV); Doña Ana (Aedes aegypti); Rio Grande and Pecos corridor counties (Cx. tarsalis)
Current Situation in New Mexico
New Mexico runs a low to moderate WNV burden of roughly 20 to 50 confirmed human cases annually, with risk concentrated in the Rio Grande Valley irrigated corridor from Albuquerque through Las Cruces. The state's mosquito season is shaped almost entirely by the North American Monsoon: from July through September, summer thunderstorms push moisture up from the Gulf of California into the Chihuahuan Desert and Rio Grande Valley, filling arroyos, irrigation canals, and backyard containers. Outside the monsoon window the desert stays dry and mosquito pressure collapses. Cx. tarsalis dominates Culex transmission off irrigated alfalfa and pecan groves. Aedes aegypti is established in the southern lowlands around Las Cruces and Doña Ana County. Aedes albopictus presence is limited. EEE is rare. The Sandia Mountains, Sangre de Cristo Range, and Gila Wilderness stay cool and largely mosquito-free. Biting season runs May through October, with peak monsoon activity July through September.
Snapshot of the current mosquito situation in New Mexico, drawn from CDC ArboNET surveillance and the regional risk model.
- Risk Level
- Low
- Peak Activity
- April through October
- Dominant Vector
- Western Encephalitis Mosquito (Culex tarsalis) statewide and dominant WNV vector
Where Mosquitoes Breed in New Mexico
New Mexico mosquito habitat is built on the Rio Grande Valley irrigated corridor and the monsoon arroyo network. The Rio Grande Valley from Albuquerque through Socorro, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, and Las Cruces holds dense Cx. tarsalis populations off irrigated alfalfa, pecan, and chile fields through the monsoon window. The Pecos River corridor through Roswell and Carlsbad carries seasonal floodwater Aedes hatches. The Chihuahuan Desert arroyos and stock tanks across the southern tier produce sharp post-monsoon Aedes pulses. Las Cruces and Doña Ana County urban storm drains carry Aedes aegypti through the warm season. The Sandia Mountains east of Albuquerque, the Sangre de Cristo Range above Santa Fe, and the Gila Wilderness in the southwest run cool and dry with minimal mosquito pressure. Carlsbad Caverns area stays drier than the Rio Grande corridor. Storm drains across Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Rio Rancho, and Las Cruces carry the urban Cx. tarsalis and Aedes aegypti load.
Hotspot Counties & Areas
- Bernalillo County (Albuquerque, Rio Grande Valley)
- Doña Ana County (Las Cruces, Aedes aegypti corner)
- Sandoval County (Rio Rancho)
- Santa Fe County (Santa Fe)
- Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge (Socorro County)
- Pecos River corridor (Roswell, Carlsbad)
- Mesilla Valley (Rio Grande south of Las Cruces)
- Chihuahuan Desert arroyos (southern counties)
Seasonal Activity Pattern
Mosquito activity is monsoon-gated. Light biting begins in May along the Rio Grande Valley as irrigation cycles start, but the season does not break open until the North American Monsoon arrives in early July and pushes Gulf of California moisture into the desert through September. WNV cases concentrate in August and September across the Rio Grande corridor and the Albuquerque and Las Cruces metros. Cx. tarsalis populations build with each monsoon thunderstorm and crash within a week or two when the rains stop. Failed monsoon years produce nearly empty mosquito seasons; strong monsoon years produce heavy biting and elevated WNV transmission. Aedes aegypti daytime biting in Las Cruces runs heavy from July through October. The high country above 7000 feet stays largely mosquito-free.
Monthly Biting Intensity (Southwest)
New Mexico Mosquito Risk Profile
- WNV burden level
- Low
- about 20 to 50 confirmed cases annually
- EEE risk
- Rare
- Peak biting season
- July through September
- Top urban risk areas
- Albuquerque (Bernalillo)
- Las Cruces (Dona Ana)
- Santa Fe (Santa Fe)
- Rio Rancho (Sandoval)
Signature habitat: Rio Grande Valley irrigated farmland, Pecos River corridor, alfalfa fields, monsoon arroyos.
Climate driver: North American Monsoon (July through September) drives the entire mosquito season; outside the monsoon the desert stays dry.
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Common Mosquitoes in New Mexico
Understanding which mosquitoes are active in New Mexico helps you identify threats and take appropriate precautions. Click any card for details.
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.
West Nile Virus
Vector: Southern House Mosquito
West Nile Virus
The most common mosquito-borne illness in the US. About 80% of infections cause no symptoms; less than 1% develop neuroinvasive disease.
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 New Mexico
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 New Mexico?
Mosquito activity winds down after the first hard freeze, which in New Mexico typically arrives around Oct 15. See the local first-frost window and city-by-city freeze dates.
New Mexico first frost datesAlso worried about ticks in New Mexico?
Lyme disease risk and tick activity track different seasonal patterns than mosquitoes. See your New Mexico tick forecast.
View New Mexico tick forecastStay Safe in New Mexico
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