Number of Mosquitos Surges in Las Vegas

(MENAFN) Although mosquitoes are generally associated with tropical and moist climates, their population has surged dramatically throughout the Las Vegas Valley in recent years.

This unexpected rise is linked to several environmental changes that have allowed them to thrive in an otherwise arid region.

“People aren’t wrong that mosquitoes shouldn’t really thrive in desert conditions, but it’s clear that the particular set of species that we do have in Clark County has adapted to the local ecology,” stated Louisa Messenger, an assistant professor in the department of environmental and global health at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, as reported by a news agency.

Among the types that have established themselves in Clark County are the Culex variety, known for transmitting West Nile virus, and Aedes aegypti, the primary carriers of dengue fever.

Messenger and her research team at UNLV have observed that mosquitoes in Las Vegas are showing increasing resistance to commonly used insecticides.

This presents a serious threat to public health, especially in a city heavily reliant on tourism for its economy.

“It is a little bit of a ticking time bomb,” Messenger remarked.

Dengue fever, in particular, has seen a notable increase across both North and South America, with over 13 million infections reported across the continents in 2024, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“In Vegas, we have more than 48 million visitors coming through our doors every year from all over the planet,” Messenger explained.

“It just takes a couple of mosquito bites to start local transmission.”

Due to global warming and climate-related changes, weather patterns are shifting, allowing mosquitoes to inhabit and reproduce in broader areas.

This expansion of their habitat increases the likelihood of mosquito-borne diseases spreading to new regions.

MENAFN18082025000045017167ID1109941167