Citizen science deepens the ecological and climatic dimensions of mosquito surveillance

As mosquito‐borne diseases continue to expand worldwide, integrating citizen science into vector surveillance presents untapped potential. This study compares ecological models of Aedes albopictus , an invasive mosquito and global vector of dengue and other arboviruses, in Spain (2020–2022), using two contrasting data sources: traditional traps and citizen science. While both showed strong seasonal agreement, spatial discrepancies emerged in summer, particularly in northwestern Spain. These differences were linked to the broader environmental coverage provided by citizen scientists' observations, especially under extreme temperature and humidity conditions. Citizen scientists can report mosquito activity in places and times where traps are absent or ineffective, capturing real host‐seeking behavior and reducing sampling biases inherent to fixed trap locations. Incorporating citizen science data into trap‐based models improved monthly predictive performance, demonstrating its value as a complementary source. Combined, traditional traps and citizen science enhance mosquito surveillance, support early warning systems, and inform decisions under climate‐driven range expansion.