Mosquito Control

The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) partners with the Suffolk County Mosquito Control Project (SCMCP) to protect Boston residents from mosquito-borne disease transmission.

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Mosquito-borne illnesses spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. Examples include West Nile Virus (WNV) or Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus. The season for mosquito borne illness in Boston is summer through early fall.

As of July 20, 2023, the risk level for West Nile Virus in Boston is: moderate.

What it means: Infection with West Nile Virus is likely or has already occurred.

What you can do to prevent WNV infection:

Be prepared: Know your risk -check this page regularly, repair screens, clean up to get rid of mosquito breeding sites, be aware of stagnant water on private property (e.g. unused swimming pools) and consult the local board of health.
Wear long sleeves and long pants from dusk to dawn when weather permits
Use mosquito netting on baby carriages and playpens
Wear mosquito repellent when outdoors, especially between dusk and dawn
Dump standing water twice weekly
People over 50 or those who are immune compromised should adjust outdoor activity to avoid peak mosquito hours (from dusk to dawn)

Questions about our work? Want to learn more?
1010 MASSACHUSETTS AVE.
2nd FLOOR
BOSTON, MA 02118
617-534-5395
INFO@BPHC.ORG
Required Diseases Reporting

What we do

BPHC partners with the Suffolk County Mosquito Control Project (SCMCP) to protect Boston residents from mosquito-borne disease transmission. The SCMCP collects mosquito samples in traps every week during the summer and early fall. These traps are throughout the City. They test the samples at the Hinton State Laboratory to determine if WNV or EEE virus is present.

Information from mosquito collections helps determine where to put extra precautions to keep Boston residents safe. This may include truck mounted aerosol spraying to control adult mosquito populations.

Positive Collection Results: Summer 2022-23

County	City	Date Collected	Species	Quadrant	Agents
Suffolk	Boston	September 7, 2023	Culex pipiens/ restuans complex	East Boston, Mattapan, West Roxbury	WNV
Suffolk	Boston	August 30, 2023	Culex pipiens/ restuans complex	Hyde Park	WNV
Suffolk	Boston	August 30, 2023	Culex pipiens/ restuans complex	Charlestown	WNV
Suffolk	Boston	August 29, 2023	Culex pipiens/ restuans complex	Jamaica Plain	WNV
Suffolk	Boston	August 22, 2023	Culex pipiens/ restuans complex	Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury	WNV
Suffolk	Boston	August 15, 2023	Culex pipiens/ restuans complex	Dorchester and Mattapan	WNV
Suffolk	Boston	August 8, 2023	Culex pipiens/ restuans complex	Roxbury, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, Brighton	WNV
Suffolk	Boston	July 20, 2023	Culex pipiens/ restuans complex	South Boston	WNV
Suffolk	Boston	September 13, 2022	Culex pipiens/ restuans complex	Charlestown, East Boston	WNV
Suffolk	Boston	September 8, 2022	Culex pipiens/ restuans complex	Dorchester	WNV
Suffolk	Boston	September 1, 2022	Culex pipiens/ restuans complex	Roslindale, West Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, Hyde Park	WNV
Suffolk	Boston	August 29, 2022	Culex pipiens/ restuans complex	Brighton, Jamaica Plain	WNV
Suffolk	Boston	August 16, 2022	Culex pipiens/ restuans complex	Jamaica Plain, Dorchester	WNV
Suffolk	Boston	August 2, 2022	Culex pipiens/ restuans complex	Roxbury, Mattapan	WNV
Suffolk	Boston	July 25, 2022	Culex pipiens/ restuans complex	Southwest	WNV
Suffolk	Boston	July 25, 2022	Culex pipiens/ restuans complex	Southwest	WNV

Spraying

Mosquito spraying happens between dusk and 11:30 p.m. on scheduled days in targeted areas of the City (depending on weather).

SCMCP advises that if people see a spray truck approaching, they should go indoors for a few minutes. Residents should close any windows that face the street during scheduled spraying. View more information on spraying.

Application to exclude property from mosquito spraying

Residents can file to have their property excluded from spraying at any time of the year. You can file electronically through the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) or mail a paper form to MDAR. For questions, call Juan Carlos Gutierrez at 617-626-1723 or email Juan.Gutierrez@state.ma.us.

Scheduled Mosquito Spraying in Boston

(Updated: April 13, 2021)

Mosquito spraying is scheduled as needed during the summer and early fall. Mosquito spraying is subject to weather and may need to be rescheduled. Changes to scheduled spraying will be posted here.

Scheduled Date	Neighborhood	Location
Between April 19, 2021- April 30, 2021	Hyde Park	Wetlands areas in the Fowl Meadow. The Bti will be applied in a granular formulation by a helicopter flying low directly over the wetlands. Residents do not need to take any special precautions for this application.
Between April 19, 2021- April 30, 2021	West Roxbury	Hancock Woods area near VFW Parkway and Corey Street. The Bti will be applied in a granular formulation by a helicopter flying low directly over the wetlands. Residents do not need to take any special precautions for this application.