Maricopa County Vector Control News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Mosquito control should start with residents, who can check for standing water and mosquito eggs and eliminate them before they hatch.

The cause is unclear, but climate change and the pandemic likely played roles.

Residents of the Morningside subdivision off Panorama Drive had some concerns when they learned the Town of Fountain Hills was improving the drainage infrastructure that feeds into a wash that

Mosquitoes need stagnant water to lay eggs. That is something Arizona does not have.

Filled with mesquite trees, bushes and other natural vegetation, John Snodgrass' backyard is like a jungle. It's also the perfect home for rats. About two years ago, Snodgrass started noticing a few rats in the backyard of his north Phoenix home alongside the usual squirrels and rabbits. He didn't think it was a big deal, but he also didn't realize how quickly the rats would multiply. "We were sitting out on our patio one evening and they started coming out of the trees above us," Snodgrass said. "There were probably at least 50 of them, and those were just the ones we could see."