Mosquito and Vector Control District
Our mission is to detect and minimize vector-borne diseases, abate mosquitoes, and assist the public in resolving problems with rodents, wildlife, and insects that can cause disease, discomfort or injury to humans.
In 1988, we were established as Santa Clara County Vector Control District and are a division under the Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency. We are one of twelve special districts located in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. We are responsible for reducing vector-borne diseases like West Nile virus, manage mosquitoes, and help you resolve problems with vectors like rodents, certain wildlife, and insects that can make you sick. Everything we do is required by the California Health and Safety Codes and California Government Codes [§ 2000-2093]. We are one of five districts in the state where the county board of supervisors act as the board of trustees. Our funding comes from a county-wide property benefit assessment.
What we do:
- Monitor diseases like West Nile virus, Lyme disease, Hard tick relapsing fever, and Flea-borne typhus.
- Inspect known mosquito breeding locations like marshes, curbs, catch basins, and other areas, and treat them with pesticides to stop mosquitoes from becoming flying adults.
- Conduct mosquito control treatments when we find mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus or to prevent the spread of invasive mosquitoes like Aedes aegypti.
- Provide free mosquitofish to put in artificial bodies of water for mosquito control.
- Respond to public service requests for services like insect identification, wildlife inspections, rodent inspections, yellowjacket/wasp removal, dead bird reports, and other available services.
- Provide educational presentations or host educational booths for schools, community centers, and other interested groups.