Why no mosquitoes in coastal southern California?

[miri]

We have lived here for almost 2 years and mosquitoes are extremely rare here. I did see one of the giant mosquitoes, but I think those are the non biting kind? I can keep my screen door open all day long and a gnat or 2 may fly in but that is it.

There are 2 popular theories as to why there are no mosquitoes but even these make little sense.

1) Little precipitation

2) Air pollution

I live in coastal orange county where the air quality is pretty good and does not have the heavy smog issues.

Yes it rains very little here but I have been in places just as dry with a huge mosquito problem. I spent a summer in Sevilla, Spain which is extremely dry and mosquitoes there are a HUGE problem. Even when I spent time in Arizona I was attacked by mosquitoes when I went outside.

I dont think I have been bitten by a mosquito here, I was bitten by something here a while back but it did not resemble a mosquito bite, I used to live in Virginia where mosquito bites are common. It is interesting and I am curious as to why mosquitoes are not a issue here.

 

[sandorski]

too dry, I imagine. Doesn't really matter how much it rains, mosquitos need standing water.

 

[paulney]

No mosquitoes (or very little) in NorCal either. Although some homeowners do their best to breed them in their stagnant pools.
I thought it was the pesticides that killed them all.

 

[ed21x]

We're just awesome like that

...and mosquitos don't survive in deserts, which is pretty much off of Southern California even though it doesn't look like it cuz we get irrigation and water from the California Aqueducts.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Too dry, no water for mosquitoes to breed.

 

[miri]

Originally posted by: ed21x
We're just awesome like that

...and mosquitos don't survive in deserts, which is pretty much off of Southern California even though it doesn't look like it cuz we get irrigation and water from the California Aqueducts.

When I spent the summer in Sevilla which is extremely dry and desert like during June/July, mosquitoes were a huge issue. Also when I was in Arizona in the summer I got attacked by mosquitoes during the day and mosquitoes usually attack during the early morning/evening.

 

[oog]

people learned because of the west nile virus scare

 

[funkymatt]

my neighbor's water heater broke and there was a lot of standing water. Mosquitoes started to breed. Neighbor poured clorox bleach into mosquito breeding ground IN HIS SOCKS. Needless to say the mosquitoes havent bothered us since.

 

[venkman]

Rent is to high?

 

[OUCaptain]

Got tired of the earth quake insurance premiums

 

[Dirigible]

Originally posted by: venkman
Rent is to high?

Yup. It's a side benefit of the high cost of living here. No (or few) mosquitoes FTMFW!!

 

[Throckmorton]

Because it's basically a desert. No, it's not a pleasant climate like you people like to believe

 

[amol]

Basically a desert next to the ocean.

Also there was fear of West Nile Virus a few years ago and a lot of people have gotten smart about leaving standing water around.