Mesa, Arizona — Infuriating, relentless, and bloodthirsty.

Mosquito season has begun in Arizona. When rains and snowmelt come to Maricopa County, these pests can be in full swing.

Johnny Dillone, a spokesperson for the Maricopa County Environmental Services, said rains and floods are now improving the situation by washing away mosquito eggs. start to occur.

Mosquitoes use stagnant water to lay eggs, which hatch within a week. Dillone says you don’t need much.

“Even a water bottle cap,” he said

Already, the county is monitoring thousands of mosquito hotspots in the Valley and taking spraying and other measures as needed. What can make this mosquito season even worse for Arizonans is the heavy rains that swarm the valleys with birds.

“There is a lot of food for birds there,” Dillone said. “There is a lot of vegetation and a lot of rain.

The reason this is a problem is that mosquitoes can transmit diseases like West Nile virus from birds, Dillone said. Infected mosquitoes infect other animals and humans.

“That’s when they start spreading the virus,” Dillone said.

Dillone said the county works year-round to prevent mosquito populations from growing, but that’s because people are taking precautions themselves, such as keeping water out of backyards and near homes. He gave examples of pet flower pots and water bowls.

For more information on how to stop mosquitoes from breeding near you or to file a mosquito complaint in your area, visit Click here for the official Maricopa County page.

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