Other Pests and Projects

Top-down view of a rat mite outline, colored in completely black, with a few white lines showing what the squiggly digestive tract looks like inside the mite. The mite has 8 legs - two pairs are on the front end of its body and two pairs are on the back end.

Biting Mites

Mites are one of the most abundant groups on insects on the earth yet are so small they are barely visible to the naked eye. The vast majority of mites are harmless or even helpful to humans. They live in plants, soil, water and even in our homes. We may go our entire lives without knowing they are there, but unfortunately, there are a few species that can cause problems. We call these “biting…

Termites

Autumn is the time of year for termite swarms. Adult winged termites (called alates) leave their colonies to mate and establish new colonies.

Spiders

Although many people are afraid of spiders, virtually all the spider species found in San Mateo County are harmless to humans. Unlike mosquitoes, which seek out and feed on people, spiders have no interest in biting us, and will only do so in self-defense.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are common household pests that may spread bacteria, contaminate food and surfaces, damage property, and cause allergic reactions.

Fleas

Most people have had an encounter with a flea at some point – the jumping black specks, the small itchy bumps they leave in their wake, and the general feeling of unease due to having a parasite in your home. However, few people understand the biology of fleas and why they invade our homes in the first place.

A bed bug, which is an oval shaped insect with six legs and two antennae, it is a dark brown, reddish color

Bedbugs

The District does NOT provide pest control services for bedbugs. However, we can help you identify bedbug infestations and provide advice on choosing a pest control operator.

The back of a penny, with a louse egg, nymph, and adult around it. The egg is very small, smaller than the letter 'u' on the penny. The nymph is slightly bigger. The adult is about as long as the building is tall on the back of the penny..

Head Lice

The District laboratory works with local public schools to provide training and guidance on preventing, identifying, and managing head lice.

May contain: wasp, animal, bee, andrena, hornet, insect, invertebrate, honey bee, and apidae

Flies

There are many species of flies, but only a few are common household pests, including house flies, stable flies, and blow flies. Stable flies bite, but are not a major disease vector. Other fly species do not bite, but may contaminate food or food preparation surfaces.

Ants

Ants are common household pests. They don’t carry disease, but can be annoying.

When what's bugging you isn't a bug

Here at the District, we examine hundreds of samples every year that are submitted by residents in response to some kind of irritation – a bite, a rash, or some other skin reaction. An entomologist from the District laboratory will work with the responding technician to find the culprit of the bites and help the resident develop a plan to stop the infestation. But what happens when those samples…

Millipedes and Centipedes

Millipedes and Centipedes are not insects (which have six legs) but are both arthropods of the subphylum Myriapoda, which means 10,000 feet. Both millipedes and centipedes are considered beneficial insects and generally do not need management.

May contain: nature, outdoors, field, and water

Invasive Spartina (cordgrass) Project

The District is currently assisting the California Coastal Conservancy on the San Francisco Estuary Invasive Spartina Project. This project seeks to eradicate an invasive species of cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) that threatens native habitats throughout the San Francisco Bay. The US Fish and Wildlife, California Dept of Fish and Game, Bay Area Regional Water Quality Control Board…

Website Accessibility Policy

San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District is fully committed to providing accessible facilities, elements and channels of communication to all members of the public. As part of this commitment, San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District has a policy of providing an accessible website compatible with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) and commercial screen reading software. All features of the website are coded to allow individuals with vision and other impairments to understand and use the website to the same degree as someone without disabilities. We welcome feedback and can often resolve issues in a timely manner if they arise.

If you need any special assistance or accommodations:

Call us at 6503448592

Ongoing Compliance Information

Compliance Officer

San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District has designated a compliance officer for website disability-related accommodations. The compliance officer has received training in website accessibility and updates the site in accordance with those best practices. Contact our accessibility officer to report an issue.

Compliance Procedures and Reports

In addition to testing with users with a wide range of disabilities and coding our website to WCAG standards, San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District regularly scans its website to ensure ongoing compliance, and makes timely changes to any inaccessible changes, if any are found.

Linked Documents and Third Parties

Please note that this site may link out to third-party websites, such as state or federal agencies, that do not have accessible content. This site may also include documents provided by third parties included in our agenda packets, for example. While we cannot control the accessibility of content provided by third parties, we are happy to assist any member of the public with reading and accessing content on our site.

See an opportunity for us to improve? Please contact our accessibility officer or call us at 6503448592.

Report a Website Accessibility Issue

We are committed to your ability to access all content, and we will respond to all requests as soon as possible.