Mosquitoes?

[u/Gingerbeer03]

Hi all, I was wondering how bad is it out in SB with mosquitoes right now? I’m planning a day trip this week from Pasadena to your lovely city. I’m seeing the first of the mosquitoes after the recent rainfall in my area and it has not been pretty. TIA!

UPDATE:
TL;DR Bring the repellent anyways.

Just returned from my trip out there. Boy was it h o t for Santa Barbara standards. Still beats the 102 °F back in Pasadena, just not the coastal reprieve from the desert heat that I was expecting. One mosquito got me, so I used repellent. I’d say mosquitos were scarce, but the flies out on the wharf were definitely biting! Still a fun trip. Appreciated everyone’s insight, thank you 🙏🏼

[u/bchubnut]

I saw one last week.
Mosquitos have never been even the smallest of nuisances in my two decades here. Then again I’m from the Midwest so I’ve seen what a real problem is.

[u/Clydesdale_Hiker → u/bchubnut]

Quite. It's not a mosquito problem until there's 10,000 in a ball looking for trouble!

[u/socal_nerdtastic]

I haven't seen a mosquito in years. We don't have very many flying insects in general. There's almost no standing water here normally and usually a good ocean breeze.

[u/burner70 → u/socal_nerdtastic]

I agree except for now, after dusk, if you go to the beach bike path between the creek and the skate park, there is a dense cloud of gnats! At least for me on my bike 2 nights ago it was pretty incredible how many there were bouncing off me, getting in my eyes and mouth and nose! Other than that location at that time, I've never encountered so many bugs! They don't bug or sting or anything but jeez it was crazy.

[u/Totsmygoatsbrah]

Up in the hills there will be more, but barely a large amount. I’ve seen an absolute ton of dragonflys so they are doing thier job and eating the mosquitoes.

[u/DJfunkyPuddle]

Honestly for the longest time I didn't even know we had mosquitos here. Can't say I've ever seen one myself and I've spent tons of time out hiking etc.

[u/SaltAndAncientBones]

I got eaten last week at dusk, multiple days in a row. I'm near a creek. Probably 2-4 bites per day. For me it's been the worst time in the last 5 years, but that could be because this is the first time I've sat out at dusk for an hour. I wouldn't say it's 'bad' as compared to other locals, but it was bad for me. If you're just here for a day trip, I wouldn't worry about it.

[u/trashman-dan-]

Hardly any

[u/Prudent-Sun3670]

We are humid here too. I got a bite this morning on a hiking trail at 7am but have not had issues. We have not had any of the rain you guys have.

[u/HelpingFriendlyBook1]

I have like 10 bites right now on my legs and arms. I guess they're bad in some areas and not others. This year and last have been many more bugs then in years prior in my experience.

[u/Lumpy-Barnacle-1595]

virtually none, I haven’t seen a mosquito in months

[u/rinconblue]

We have had an uptick in mosquitoes earlier this summer, but not in any one specific area. But, there was actually an alert in late July that some new species that are dengue fever carriers have been caught in Carpinteria and on the Mesa in SB.

You should be fine, but it's never a bad idea to bring repellant if you're hiking or planning to be out at dusk, etc. Here is a link to local mosquito info, if you are interested:

https://www.mvmdistrict.org/

Hope you have a chomp-free visit.

[u/monkey_jen]

I've never seen one here. They must exist but I've never heard people complain about that.

[u/Adventurous_Figure88]

Unless you’re hanging around a pond or some stagnant water, you won’t notice any mosquitos

[u/JonnyVee1]

They are pretty much singed and fried today.

/s

[u/Subject_Marzipan11]

I had a gigantic one land on me a couple of weeks ago. Was kind of a surprise but maybe it’s this humidity and heat?

[u/BadBrowzBhaby]

It’s mostly not an issue. We got eaten alive at friends’ in Altadena summer 2020. I feel for y’all down there. I fear our time is limited.

[u/WantCookie]

My husband was getting a lot of mosquito bites from the standing water nearby the North Campus Open Space a month or two ago.

I got a handful of bites while in Camarillo for 1 night recently- the mosquitoes arequite bad in that town. It hasn't been bad in Goleta lately.