Phoenix’s mosquito population has been thriving since late September, and Phoenix New Times readers had plenty to say about it.
Last week, New Times reported that mosquito complaints made to the Maricopa County Vector Control Division, which monitors and manages mosquito populations, have skyrocketed. Division manager John Townsend said complaints increased 400% compared to a year ago, jumping from 1,500 complaints in 2024 to 6,000 this year — so far.
The entire Valley has been a hotspot, with mosquitoes spreading beyond their normal rural and irrigated East Valley plots where they’re usually found. Vector Control sets traps to monitor mosquito activity at 850 sites across the Phoenix metro area and is finding a lot of mosquitoes where there usually are few…