Today's Mosquito Risk in Tennessee: 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 3: Moderate
- West Tennessee Delta climate stretches biting season; East Tennessee mountains shorten it.
- Per mosquito-risk-model regional tier
- Highest-Risk Areas
- Shelby, Davidson, Knox, Hamilton (WNV)
Current Situation in Tennessee
Tennessee carries a moderate WNV burden of roughly 20 to 50 confirmed cases annually, with risk concentrated in the Memphis Delta, the Nashville Basin, and the Tennessee River corridor. Memphis sits on the Mississippi River bottomlands and pulls Aedes vexans and Cx. quinquefasciatus pressure off the Delta climate. Nashville and Knoxville run as Cx. pipiens cities, with Aedes albopictus established statewide and dominant in suburban daytime biting. EEE is rare. The Cumberland Plateau hollows and the Great Smoky Mountains foothills produce woodland Aedes off beaver ponds and forested wetlands. Reelfoot Lake in the northwest corner holds dense seasonal populations. Biting season runs May through October.
Snapshot of the current mosquito situation in Tennessee, drawn from CDC ArboNET surveillance and the regional risk model.
- Risk Level
- Moderate
- Peak Activity
- April through October
- Dominant Vector
- Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus) statewide; Southern House Mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus) Memphis
Where Mosquitoes Breed in Tennessee
Tennessee mosquito habitat splits between the Mississippi River bottomlands at Memphis, the Tennessee River corridor through Knoxville and Chattanooga, and the Cumberland Plateau hollows. The Memphis Delta and Reelfoot Lake (formed by the 1811 New Madrid earthquake) produce dense Aedes vexans, Cx. quinquefasciatus, and Psorophora populations. The Tennessee River bottomlands sustain Aedes vexans hatches after summer storms. The Nashville Basin holds steady Cx. pipiens populations through suburban storm drains. The Cumberland Plateau and the Great Smoky Mountains foothills hold woodland Aedes off beaver ponds. Storm drains and tire piles across Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga carry the urban Aedes albopictus load.
Hotspot Counties & Areas
- Davidson County (Nashville metro)
- Shelby County (Memphis, Mississippi River bottomlands)
- Knox County (Knoxville, Tennessee River)
- Hamilton County (Chattanooga, Tennessee River bend)
- Lake and Obion counties (Reelfoot Lake)
- Cumberland Plateau hollows
- Great Smoky Mountains foothills
- Nashville Basin
Seasonal Activity Pattern
Biting starts in early May in Memphis and the western Delta, peaks late July through August, and tapers through October. WNV cases concentrate in August across Memphis, Nashville, and Knoxville. The Memphis Delta runs warm and wet through September, producing the longest biting season in the state. The Cumberland Plateau and East Tennessee mountains run roughly two weeks behind the western Delta. Heavy summer storms produce floodwater Aedes pulses along the Mississippi and Tennessee bottomlands. Aedes albopictus daytime biting in suburban yards runs heavy from June through October.
Monthly Biting Intensity (Southeast)
Tennessee Mosquito Risk Profile
- WNV burden level
- Moderate
- about 20 to 50 confirmed cases annually
- EEE risk
- Rare
- Peak biting season
- May through October
- Top urban risk areas
- Nashville (Davidson)
- Memphis (Shelby)
- Knoxville (Knox)
- Chattanooga (Hamilton)
Signature habitat: Mississippi River bottomlands (Memphis), Tennessee River corridor, Cumberland Plateau hollows.
Climate driver: West Tennessee Delta climate stretches biting season; East Tennessee mountains shorten it.
Check Your Local Mosquito Risk
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Common Mosquitoes in Tennessee
Understanding which mosquitoes are active in Tennessee 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 Tennessee
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 Tennessee?
Mosquito activity winds down after the first hard freeze, which in Tennessee typically arrives around Oct 26. See the local first-frost window and city-by-city freeze dates.
Tennessee first frost datesAlso worried about ticks in Tennessee?
Lyme disease risk and tick activity track different seasonal patterns than mosquitoes. See your Tennessee tick forecast.
View Tennessee tick forecastStay Safe in Tennessee
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