DDPHE Offers Tips to Protect Yourself This Mosquito Season
Published on May 15, 2025
As temperatures rise and spring rains return, Denver is officially entering mosquito season. The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) is reminding residents to take proactive measures to reduce mosquito breeding and protect themselves from bites, especially with the ongoing risk of mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile virus.
At the start of the summer season, DDPHE’s mosquito control program begins seasonal monitoring, treatment and testing of public areas. DDPHE takes proactive treatment measures to mitigate mosquito populations by applying larvicide that reduces the number of larval mosquitoes. Once adults, mosquitoes are trapped and tested weekly from locations across the city for virus surveillance and assessment.
Denverites can protect themselves and their neighbors from mosquito bites in two ways: eliminating mosquito habitats and bite prevention.
Eliminate mosquito breeding sites. It’s important to frequently remove standing water on your property from containers, tires, birdbaths, gutters and buckets. Additionally, prevent overwatering of your yard as it can create standing water in gutters, storm sewers, and within your turf or other landscaping. Properly maintain fountains and swimming pools to ensure circulation or drain and cover if not in use. If these are not viable options, apply larvicide as needed to prevent adult mosquito emergence.
Prevent mosquito bites. Limit activity outdoors at dusk and dawn. Wear protective clothing like pants and long sleeves when outdoors, and wear mosquito repellent containing lemon eucalyptus oil, DEET, picaridin, or IR3535.
Another important part of mosquito prevention is mosquito-proofing your home. Install screens on windows and doors, and make sure roof gutters are not clogged and holding water. Incorporating xeriscape (non-watered landscaping) and water-smart landscaping on your property can also help reduce the number of mosquitoes in your neighborhood. Proper landscaping techniques not only help manage mosquitos, but also benefit the environment and save water.
Contact 311. Residents experiencing high mosquito activity in their neighborhoods are encouraged to report concerns by calling 311 or using Sunny the Chatbot on the DDPHE website.
Understanding mosquitoes is the first step in preventing them. DDPHE offers a variety of educational materials and information focused on neighborhood-level prevention of mosquitoes. Please call 311 or email EQcomments@denvergov.org for additional information.
Learn more about Denver’s mosquito management program on the DDPHE mosquito website or listen to DDPHE Environmental What If podcast about mosquitos.