Book a call Get a quote

Sterile mosquito control in Arlington

Biological mosquito control for Arlington homes, HOAs and event spaces, planned around your season.

Restaurant patio at dusk

SMF provides sterile male mosquito releases for Arlington homes, venues and HOAs: biological control, chemical-free and safe for guests, families and pets. It works alongside the city's data-led trapping and response program, on the daytime biters in yards and outdoor spaces.

SMF's releases target the biters in yards by day and at dusk (Asian tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes). They don't affect night-biting mosquitoes.

Arlington has plenty of mosquito country, including River Legacy Park, more than 1,000 acres along the Trinity River. And the city spends a lot of evenings outside: its Entertainment District puts AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field and Choctaw Stadium within walking distance of each other, with patios and event spaces all around. Between game days, concerts and backyard cookouts, the daytime biters breed in everything from backyard gutters to the dense green along the river.

Arlington traps mosquitoes weekly from May through October, and Tarrant County Public Health tests them. The usual trigger for ground spraying is three straight weeks of positive results at a trap, though the city can move sooner when risk is higher. A contractor then treats a half-mile around the trap for two nights, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., with notices, signs near the sites and alerts through the Ask Arlington app.

Four steps to fewer mosquitoes

1 Raise and sort We raise mosquitoes and remove the females, using AI vision from our technology partner, Senecio. Only males move on.
2 Sterilize We sterilize the males with X-rays in-house, the last step before they leave our facility.
3 Release A release plate arrives twice a month in the warm months and one a month in winter. Follow the instructions and open it in your yard. It takes about a minute.
4 Enjoy You should start to feel the difference within 7 to 14 days.
Why it works: wild females mate once. When one mates with a sterile male, her eggs don't hatch. Each generation is smaller than the last, until the population collapses. How it works →

Males don't bite, and they're not genetically modified.1 Regulation details, with sources, are on our safety page. Safety and regulation →

1. CDC, "Irradiated mosquitoes," cdc.gov, May 14, 2024.

What public programs have measured

Evidence for the method, not SMF's own results.

Six weeks in Texas 93% fewer wild female mosquitoes after six weeks in a Harris County, Texas study (related method).1
First phase in Florida 79% fewer adult mosquitoes and 59% fewer eggs in the first release phase, compared with an untreated island.2
A district in California 44% / 65% fewer female mosquitoes: 44% with sterile males alone, 65% combined with larvicide stations.3

1. CDC and Harris County Public Health, Wolbachia method. Lozano et al., PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2022. 2. Lee County Mosquito Control District, Captiva Island, Florida. Phase 1 only. Morreale et al., PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2025. 3. West Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District, California, 2024. Birhanie et al., Insects, 2025.

See the research

Check your ZIP

Enter your ZIP for an instant answer.

What we do here: For homeowners → Commercial programs → Cities and districts →

FAQ: Arlington

Are sterile mosquitoes safe at a backyard cookout?
Yes. Nothing is applied to grass, grills or play areas, so there's nothing to wait out before the burgers go on, and the males don't bite.
When is mosquito season in Arlington?
The city traps weekly from May through October, which covers the busiest months. Programs start anytime of year. Starting in spring puts a program ahead of that, and one plate a month from November to spring keeps it there.
Can event venues and restaurant patios in Arlington use sterile males?
Yes. Patios, plazas and outdoor event spaces are a good fit, with nothing applied before guests arrive. Start releases at least 4 weeks before your busy season. Venue and restaurant programs →
Do you serve neighborhoods near River Legacy Park?
Yes, along with the rest of Arlington. Check your ZIP to confirm. Homes near big green spaces benefit most when neighbors join too.

Nearby: Fort Worth →Dallas →Irving →

All of Dallas-Fort Worth →

Ready for evenings outside again?

Tell us about your yard. We'll reply within one business day.

Get a quote How it works