Today's Mosquito Risk in Virginia: 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 3: Moderate
- Hampton Roads coastal humidity plus expanding Aedes aegypti push the southern border up the risk scale.
- Per mosquito-risk-model regional tier
- Highest-Risk Areas
- Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Henrico, Richmond City (WNV); Suffolk and Chesapeake (Great Dismal EEE)
Current Situation in Virginia
Virginia carries a moderate WNV burden of roughly 30 to 60 confirmed human cases annually, split between the Hampton Roads coastal metros and the urban Piedmont corridor through Richmond and Northern Virginia. The Tidewater region, anchored on the Chesapeake Bay and the Eastern Shore, holds the heaviest mosquito pressure, with salt marsh from Virginia Beach up through Accomack County producing dense Aedes sollicitans hatches. EEE is documented in the freshwater swamps of the Great Dismal Swamp NWR. Aedes albopictus dominates daytime suburban biting statewide, and Aedes aegypti is creeping north into the southern Tidewater. Cx. quinquefasciatus sustains transmission in the southern half of the state. Biting season runs May through October.
Snapshot of the current mosquito situation in Virginia, 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; Northern House Mosquito (Culex pipiens) Piedmont
Where Mosquitoes Breed in Virginia
Virginia mosquito habitat splits between Tidewater salt marsh, Great Dismal Swamp freshwater wetlands, and the Shenandoah and James River floodplains. Salt marsh from Virginia Beach through the Eastern Shore produces Aedes sollicitans across the Norfolk and Chesapeake metros. The Great Dismal Swamp NWR straddling the North Carolina border holds Culiseta and woodland Aedes populations tied to EEE bridge cycling. Inland, the Shenandoah Valley floodplains and the James River bottomlands sustain Aedes vexans and Cx. pipiens. Storm drains and tire piles across Richmond, Norfolk, and Arlington carry the urban Aedes albopictus load.
Hotspot Counties & Areas
- Virginia Beach (Virginia Beach City, salt marsh and dense suburb)
- Norfolk (Norfolk City, Chesapeake Bay urban Culex)
- Richmond (Richmond City and Henrico County, James River)
- Newport News (Newport News, Hampton Roads coastal)
- Arlington and Fairfax (DC suburb albopictus)
- Great Dismal Swamp NWR (EEE focus area)
- Eastern Shore (Accomack and Northampton counties)
- Shenandoah Valley floodplains
Seasonal Activity Pattern
Biting starts in early May in the Tidewater, peaks late July through August, and tapers through October with stragglers into early November in Hampton Roads. WNV cases concentrate in August across Richmond, Virginia Beach, and the DC suburbs. Salt-marsh biting on the Eastern Shore and Virginia Beach spikes around full-moon high tides. EEE risk in Great Dismal Swamp counties peaks late August through October. Aedes albopictus daytime biting in suburban yards across the Piedmont runs heavy from June through October.
Monthly Biting Intensity (Southeast)
Virginia Mosquito Risk Profile
- WNV burden level
- Moderate
- about 30 to 60 confirmed cases annually
- EEE risk
- Documented in Tidewater swamps
- Peak biting season
- May through October
- Top urban risk areas
- Virginia Beach (Virginia Beach City)
- Norfolk (Norfolk City)
- Richmond (Richmond City)
- Arlington (Arlington)
Signature habitat: Tidewater salt marsh, Great Dismal Swamp, Shenandoah floodplains, Piedmont urban.
Climate driver: Hampton Roads coastal humidity plus expanding Aedes aegypti push the southern border up the risk scale.
Check Your Local Mosquito Risk
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Common Mosquitoes in Virginia
Understanding which mosquitoes are active in Virginia 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 Virginia
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 Virginia?
Live water temperatures and swim conditions for Smith Mountain Lake, Lake Anna.
See Virginia lake temperaturesWhen does mosquito season end in Virginia?
Mosquito activity winds down after the first hard freeze, which in Virginia typically arrives around Oct 25. See the local first-frost window and city-by-city freeze dates.
Virginia first frost datesAlso worried about ticks in Virginia?
Lyme disease risk and tick activity track different seasonal patterns than mosquitoes. See your Virginia tick forecast.
View Virginia tick forecastStay Safe in Virginia
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