These Are the Worst Cities in the U.S. for Mosquitoes
AKA, here's where you'll definitely need to bring bug spray this summer.
Sure, summer has its perks—good tans, great weather, a built-in excuse to day drink—but that doesn't mean the season isn't without its flaws. For instance, who hasn't gotten absolutely eaten alive by an angry pack of mosquitoes while innocently toasting a s'more or hitting up the ballpark?
Of course, some places are worse than others. Los Angeles just landed in the No. 1 spot on Orkin's list of the Top 50 Mosquito Cities in the US, beating out Atlanta, which has held the not-so-coveted title for the past seven years. DC, Dallas, and Chicago trailed shortly behind.
Orkin—one of the nation's biggest pest control companies—put the list together based on how much of their pest control services each city needed that year. Translation: Los Angeles, Atlanta, DC, and Dallas needed the most help from Orkin in battling mosquitoes between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021.
Here's the full list:
1. Los Angeles
2. Atlanta
3. Washington, DC
4. Dallas
5. Chicago
6. New York
7. Detroit
8. Miami
9. Charlotte
10. Raleigh-Durham
11. Houston
12. Philadelphia
13. Tampa
14. Grand Rapids
15. Orlando
16. Nashville
17. Minneapolis
18. Indianapolis
19. Baltimore
20. Memphis
According to Orkin, mosquitoes typically come out when temperatures reach 68 degrees Fahrenheit overnight, and usually bite between dusk and dawn. Breeding starts in early May through September.
"Like many insects, mosquitoes need a food source, favorable temperatures, and a proper breeding site to survive," a press release for the list states. "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."
The bloodsuckers, besides being annoying and causing incredibly itchy welts, are also known to transmit yellow fever, dengue, the West Nile virus, and Zika, among other diseases, according to the CDC, which recommends covering up and using insect repellent to protect yourself.