Free mosquitofish, free inspections, and targeted response efforts are done to help control the pests

Hillsborough County, Fla. (June 24, 2026) - It's National Mosquito Control Awareness Week through June 27.

But all year long, Hillsborough County Mosquito Management Services protects residents by monitoring for mosquito-borne illnesses and managing the pests through Integrated Mosquito Management practices such as biological methods, surveillance, elimination of breeding sites, destruction of larvae, and providing treatments at street level and from the sky. The department has placed 27 mosquito traps throughout the county to track mosquito populations and uses a Sentinel Chicken program to monitor mosquito-borne diseases, such as encephalitis viruses in birds, before they reach humans.

Mosquito Management Services uses the latest techniques and innovations to help prevent mosquitoes from spreading, including mosquitofish giveaways, targeted response efforts, and free inspections.

Mosquitofish giveaways

Every year during the spring and summer, Hillsborough County Mosquito Management Services hosts free mosquitofish giveaway events for Hillsborough County residents. All of the County's mosquitofish are raised at Mosquito Management Services. Mosquitofish are small, native freshwater fish that eat mosquito larvae. They require no feeding, and care is limited to protecting them from garden sprays, chlorine, or other chemicals used for cleaning. Mosquitofish do not lay eggs and require no special environment for breeding.

Mosquitofish will be available from 8 a.m. to noon on the following Saturdays:

  • July 18 at Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library, 3910 S. Manhattan Ave., Tampa, FL 33611
  • Aug. 15 at Northdale Park & Recreation Center, 15510 Hooting Owls Pl., Tampa, FL 33624

Mosquitofish can also be picked up at the Mosquito Management Services office by calling (813) 635-5400, or visit Mosquito Management Services Request to set an appointment.

Mosquito population control

Hillsborough County manages mosquito populations to protect public health and welfare. The primary strategies of population control are to eliminate breeding habitat (areas of standing, stagnant water) and reduce mosquito development through larval control.

If adult mosquito populations pose a significant public nuisance or mosquito-borne diseases are present in an area, the County may treat the areas with mosquito products that target adult mosquitoes in and around areas where surveillance data demonstrates an increase in mosquito populations.

Hillsborough County sprays by ground and air to manage adult mosquito populations. Mosquito Management Services offers an email notification prior to most nighttime applications of adulticides. Sign up on the Mosquito Spray Notifications page to be notified when Mosquito Management is spraying in your area, particularly if you keep bees, to protect your hives. To report a mosquito issue and request an inspection of your property or neighborhood, visit the Report Mosquito Related Issues page.

Learn more about mosquito prevention

Mosquito Management will visit a community's HOA meetings, school, or other event to give a presentation on effective mosquito prevention techniques.

With more than 40 species of mosquitoes in the county, residents - especially those who spend time outdoors - should protect against mosquito bites as weather gets hotter and wetter. While most mosquito bites are only an annoyance, sometimes their bites can be dangerous. Preventing bites reduces the risk of being infected with a mosquito-borne disease.

Simple steps can be taken to mitigate, or slow, the spread of mosquitoes and prevent them from laying and hatching eggs. By reducing the population of mosquitos, the likelihood of being bitten is reduced.

  • Drain water from outdoor areas to reduce the number of places mosquitoes can lay their eggs and breed.
  • Drain water from garbage cans, house gutters, buckets, pool covers, coolers, toys, flowerpots, or any other containers where sprinkler or rainwater has collected.
  • Discard old tires, bottles, pots, broken appliances, and other items not being used.
  • Empty and clean birdbaths and pet water bowls at least twice a week.
  • Protect boats and vehicles from rain with tarps that do not accumulate water.
  • Maintain swimming pools and keep them chlorinated. Empty plastic swimming pools when not in use.
  • Wear protective clothing while outdoors and keep doors and windows closed to prevent mosquitoes from going indoors.
  • Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and long sleeves while outdoors when and where mosquitoes are most prevalent to discourage mosquitoes from biting.
  • Treat clothing and gear with products containing .5% permethrin. Do not apply permethrin directly to skin. Some sports clothing and gear come pretreated with permethrin.
  • Check and repair screens on doors and windows. Keep them closed and use air conditioning when possible.
  • Make sure window screens are in good repair to reduce the chance of mosquitoes indoors.

Visit HCFL.gov/Mosquito to learn more.