US cities with the most mosquitoes
Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas, New York on Orkin's list of cities with most mosquitoes
Los Angeles – seen as the epicenter of the entertainment industry – is being recognized for its dense mosquito population.
The City of Angels has landed on top of Orkin's list of the cities with the most mosquitos – known for not only biting humans but potentially transmitting various diseases such as West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis and Zika virus.
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After Los Angeles on Orkin's Top 50 Mosquito Cities list is Atlanta, which held the top spot for seven consecutive years.
Rounding out the top five is Washington, D.C., Dallas and Chicago. The newest additions to this year's list, however, are three West Coast cities: Seattle, San Diego and Fresno, California.
Mosquitoes swarming in the air Los Angeles city skyline illuminated at night (iStock)
The pest control company owned by Rollins Inc. noted that outdoor activities, which were "maximized in 2020" and will likely continue as Memorial Day nears, "may lead to increased experiences with mosquitoes."
The pests "typically become active" when temperatures reach more than 68 degrees Fahrenheit overnight, and breeding season can last from May through September, according to Orkin. However, they are most likely to bite between dusk and dawn, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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"We are committed to educating the public on the risks associated with these blood-sucking pests, and more importantly, eliminating them from yards across the country," Orkin President Freeman Elliott said.
The company cautioned that people should be aware of attractants and potential breeding areas which include standing water, dark and humid areas and debris in gutters.
"Like many insects, mosquitoes need a food source, favorable temperatures and a proper breeding site to survive," said Frank Meek, Rollins, Inc. technical services manager. "They are attracted to areas where humans and other animals are present, due to our body heat and the carbon dioxide we exhale, two of their needs."
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Orkin also announced the second annual "Donating Blood Should be Voluntary" campaign in order to "aid the American Red Cross in maintaining our country's blood supply and protect people against the public health threats of mosquitoes."
Orkin pledged to donate $25 to the Red Cross for every mosquito control service purchased from May 24 to June 30, 2021, up to $120,000. The company is also encouraging the public to donate blood through the Red Cross through the SleevesUp campaign, through June 30.
For its data, the Orkin ranked the metro areas by the number of mosquitoes based on the customers served from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021.
The top 10 cities with the greatest number of mosquitos, according to Orkin's data:
- Los Angeles
- Atlanta
- Washington, DC
- Dallas
- Chicago
- New York
- Detroit
- Miami
- Charlotte
- Raleigh-Durham