Atlanta Ranks #1 on Orkin's 2019 Mosquito Cities List

Orkin's Top 50 Mosquito Cities list ranks metro areas by the number of mosquito customers served from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019.


Posted by Posted by Brad Harbison

Published May 20, 2019
ATLANTA — For the sixth year in a row, the Atlanta area tops Orkin's Top 50 Mosquito Cities list, released today. Second on the list is the New York market, which moved up one spot from last year, followed by the Chicago and Houston-area markets. Boston and Baltimore rose 20 and 27 spots, respectively. Eleven new cities and metro areas were added to the list including Denver; Burlington, New York; Milwaukee; Cincinnati; Greensboro, N.C.; Savannah, Ga.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Baton Rouge; Amarillo, Texas; Madison, Wisc. and Charleston, S.C.
 
"Mosquitoes are more than annoying; they can be a major health threat," said Dr. Mark Beavers, Orkin entomologist. "Mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile virus, encephalitides, dengue, chikungunya and for those who may remember, Zika, threaten the safety of humans and pets."
 
Mosquito season starts when spring temperatures arrive, and they are most active when temperatures rise above 80 degrees. Breeding season is usually July through September, while peak West Nile virus season is typically late August through September, and sometimes lasts through October. Mosquito activity usually drops when temperatures dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit and stops when temperatures drop below freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit).
 
Orkin's Top 50 Mosquito Cities list ranks metro areas by the number of mosquito customers served from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019. The list includes both residential and commercial treatments.
 
 

1.    Atlanta                          

26.  Tulsa, Okla. (+9)

2.    New York (+1)                

27.  Minneapolis (+5)

3.    Washington, D.C. (+1)    

28.  Albany, New York (-2)

4.    Chicago (+1)                  

29.  Grand Rapids, Mich. (-7)

5.    Houston (+2)                

30.  Memphis (-18)

6.    Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas (-4)    

31.  Oklahoma City (+9)

7.    Detroit (+4)                        

32.  New Orleans (-3)

8.    Philadelphia (+9)            

33.  Cleveland, Ohio (+14)

9.    Charlotte, N.C. (+1)        

34.  Lafayette, La. (-7)

10.  Raleigh-Durham, N.C. (+5)    

35.  Burlington, New York (new to list)

11.  Phoenix (+14)            

36.  Mobile, Ala. (-15)

12.  Los Angeles (+4)       

37.  Milwaukee (new to list)

13.  Boston (+20)            

38.  Austin (-18)

14.  Miami (-6)               

39.  Knoxville, Tenn. (+7)

15.  Baltimore (+27)       

40.  Cincinnati (new to list)

16.  Richmond, Va. (+14)     

41.  San Antonio (-5)

17.  Nashville (-4)            

42.  West Palm Beach, Fla. (+6)

18.  Tampa (-4)             

43.  Greensboro, N.C. (new to list)

19.  Indianapolis (+5)      

44.  Hartford, Conn. (-8)

20.  St. Louis (-14)        

45.  Savannah, Ga. (new to list)

21.  Norfolk, Va. (+2)     

46.  Jacksonville, Fla. (new to list)

22.  Orlando (-3)    

47.  Baton Rouge (new to list)

23.  Greenville, S.C. (+8)       

48.  Amarillo, Texas (new to list)

24.  Denver (new to list)        

49.  Madison, Wisc. (new to list)

25.  Kansas City (-16)      

50.  Charleston, S.C. (new to list)

With the presence of West Nile virus in the U.S., 2,544 cases in 2018, it remains a concern as there is no treatment, cure or vaccine for the virus. One of the best strategies for eliminating mosquito-borne diseases is to reduce populations of the mosquitoes that spread them.
 
Below are the most common types of mosquitoes in the U.S.:
 

Culex Mosquitoes: These mosquitoes are seen throughout the United States and can transmit West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis and even bird malaria. They are mostly night biters but can also bite at dusk and dawn.

Aedes Mosquitoes: These are commonly known as floodwater mosquitoes, and they may live in a variety of habitats ranging from swamps to natural containers such as soda cans and pet water bowls. They can transmit several diseases including dengue, chikungunya, Zika and dog heartworm. Many of these are day-biters with the peak periods in the morning and afternoon.

Anopheles Mosquitoes: In addition to spreading malaria, which has been eradicated from the United States but is constantly reintroduced due to infected travelers from foreign countries, Anopheles mosquitoes can transmit dog heartworm as well as a few viruses. They have been found in most states and are most active at night.   

"Male adult mosquitoes feed on plant nectar, while females need a blood meal to support reproduction," said Beavers. "Reducing items that attract mosquitoes, actively working to prevent them from breeding in their required water habitats, wearing insect repellent or moving inside the home during peak biting times are ways to protect one's self from mosquito bites."

 
After mating, females typically seek a blood meal to aid in egg production. Those eggs are laid in water or just above the edge of the waterline (for example, floodwater mosquitoes). Those water sources may be standing pools or stagnant water but can also be manmade sources such as bird baths, buckets and even mud puddles. Egg numbers vary from species to species but there can be more than 100 eggs in a single laying. And in as a little as four days, a single mosquito can multiply into as many as 400.
 

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