About a week after some of the most intense rainstorms Cincinnati has ever experienced, health officials say we could see higher mosquito activity.
Jeremy Hessel, director of environmental health for Hamilton County Public Health, says mosquitoes lay their eggs in still water.
"After big rain events, what we see is that the longer it sits and stagnates without being flushed out, then the mosquito population starts to increase," Hessel said.
You can help reduce the mosquito population by identifying standing water; common sources are birdbaths, kiddie pools and toys, buckets, wheelbarrows, old tires, and tarps.
"One of the other things that I always encourage people to do as well is to get up and look in your gutters around your house," Hessel said. "Sometimes those hold leaves, sticks, those types of things, and water stagnates there. It's a perfect breeding spot for those mosquitoes."
You can eliminate the standing water, or add a larvicide that prevents mosquito eggs from maturing. You can find these at most hardware or big-box stores.
Hamilton County Public Health does regular monitoring to test for West Nile Virus. So far, no mosquitoes have tested positive this year.
Hessel points to several resources from local and state health officials:
- HCPH: Mosquito Season Is Here: How to Keep Your Yard (and Family) Bite-Free
- HCPH: West Nile Virus Confirmed in 2025’s First Human Case in Hamilton County
- HCPH: Mosquito Bite Prevention & Control
- HCPH: Mosquito-borne diseases
- ODH infectious disease dashboard: Summary of Infectious Diseases in Ohio | DataOhio
- ODH zoonotic disease program (how we test pools of mosquitoes): Zoonotic Disease Program | Ohio Department of Health
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