the eastern United States, the Gulf Coast, and portions of California. It is considered one of the most invasive mosquitoes in the country and is notorious for aggressively biting people during daylight hours.
Public health officials are particularly concerned about this species because it is capable of transmitting dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and several other mosquitoborne diseases. Although large outbreaks remain uncommon in most of the United States, the mosquito's continued expansion has drawn increasing attention from mosquitocontrol agencies. Under Google's proposal, up to 16 million mosquitoes would be released in New Jersey during 2026. If approved, the program would expand in 2027 and 2028 to include California and Florida, with up to 16 million mosquitoes released annually in each state.
That permit alone could involve as many as 112 million mosquito releases over three years.
The public comment period for the second application, docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2025-3951, closed on June 5, 2026. It targets Culex quinquefasciatus, commonly known as the Southern House Mosquito.
Unlike the Asian Tiger Mosquito, which actively hunts people during the day, Southern House Mosquitoes are generally most active around dusk and nighttime. They are commonly associated with urban environments,
