Do Italians get bitten by mosquitoes?

Yes, in summer, you are likely to find mosquitoes in Rome and other major Italian cities. They are the so-called “tiger” mosquitoes that you can recognize because their legs have black and white stripes and can be quite aggressive.



Yes, Italians deal with mosquito bites throughout the summer months, particularly from May to October. Italy is home to over 60 species of mosquitoes, including the highly aggressive Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus), which is active during the day and can be found in every region from Sicily to the Alps. These mosquitoes thrive in the humid heat of the Italian "Pianura Padana" (Po Valley) and coastal areas. To defend themselves, Italians use a variety of high-value tools including "zampironi" (scented coils), electric "Vape" plug-ins, and standard repellents with DEET or Icaridin. While the bites are a common annoyance, they are increasingly monitored by the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS) for potential "alien" diseases like West Nile or Dengue. If you are traveling to Italy in 2026, a peer-to-peer "win" is to stay in rooms with screens (zanzariere) or use a fan at night, as the small Italian "Tiger" mosquitoes are weak flyers and cannot easily navigate the moving air to land and bite.

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The arc that extends from Veneto to Friuli-Venezia Giulia to Istria seems especially bad, but Tuscany is murder also, as is Sicily. More important than geography, however, is time with the summer being the season when mosquitoes make their bloody entrance.

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These insects are most active during the late spring, summer, and early fall months. They particularly like to be active during the evening hours and when it is humid outside. Mosquitoes can bite at any time of the day, but you and your family are at higher risk during these times.

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Products containing the chemical DEET are proven to be effective repellents for mosquitoes. Autan is a widely available insect repellent containing DEET in Italy. Ensure you follow the application instructions carefully and, providing you do not have a reaction, this is perfectly safe to use for adults and children.

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Antihistamines, used before and after, appear to be effective in reducing the immediate/early symptoms of mosquito bites in both adults and children. It is not clear whether the same antihistamine will be effective for both adults and children.

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Unfortunately, mosquitoes can bite through clothes! Mosquitoes are more likely to attack exposed skin but can still pierce through covered areas to reach your hidden blood vessels. While tight-fitting clothing may protect you from ticks, mosquitoes can easily bypass the fabric to bite you.

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More recently, a 2005 study showed there was no evidence it influenced the attraction of mosquitoes to human skin-derived chemicals from volunteers taking vitamin B supplements. There is simply no evidence taking vitamin B will offer any significant protection from mosquito bites.

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Mosquitoes Enjoy Hanging Out at the Beach Plus, you get that breeze off the ocean, which some people believe keeps mosquito activity at bay. It does not. You can get mosquito bites at the beach, too. That's because mosquitoes tend to gather wherever there's water.

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