Beware of Mosquitoes this Summer!
Today, Orkin, the world-renowned pest control company, revealed the 2016 Top Mosquito Cities in the United States of America. Again, Atlanta remains in the top spot, as it has for three consecutive years. Atlanta is followed on the list by Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Want to know the worst mosquito cities in the United States?
Here is the Orkin’s list of Top Mosquito Cities as based on the number of mosquito customers served in 2015:
| 1. Atlanta | 26. Mobile-Pensacola, Fla. |
| 2. Chicago | 27. Indianapolis |
| 3. Washington, D.C. | 28. Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, Mich. |
| 4. Detroit | 29. Bangor, Maine |
| 5. New York | 30. Philadelphia |
| 6. Dallas-Ft. Worth | 31. West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, Fla. |
| 7. Nashville, Tenn. | 32. Columbus, Ohio |
| 8. Charlotte, N.C. | 33. Lansing, Mich. |
| 9. Raleigh-Durham, N.C. | 34. Knoxville, Tenn. |
| 10. Boston | 35. Ft. Wayne, Ind. |
| 11. Memphis, Tenn. | 36. Tulsa, Okla. |
| 12. Houston | 37. Baltimore, Md. |
| 13. Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. | 38. Greensboro-High Pt.-Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| 14. Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, Va. | 39. Burlington, Vt.-Plattsburgh, N.Y. |
| 15. Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Mich. | 40. Portland-Auburn, Ore. |
| 16. Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C., Asheville, N.C. | 41. Buffalo, N.Y. |
| 17. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, N.Y. | 42. Shreveport, La. |
| 18. Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 43. New Orleans |
| 19. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. | 44. LaFayette, La. |
| 20. Phoenix | 45. Cincinnati, Ohio |
| 21. Richmond-Petersburg, Va. | 46. Myrtle Beach-Florence, S.C. |
| 22. Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla. | 47. Birmingham, Ala. |
| 23. Hartford-New Haven, Conn. | 48. Austin, Texas |
| 24. Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourn, Fla. | 49. Kansas City, Mo. |
| 25. Charleston, S.C. | 50. Macon, Ga. |
Orkin Shares Precautionary Measures amid Zika Virus Scare
As the Zika scare continues to raise fears among Americans, the pest control leader also highlighted the need for precaution to avoid insect bites especially summer is almost here.
According to Ron Harrison, Ph.D., entomologist and Orkin technical services director, mosquitoes are a major health concern during the summer.
“Mosquitoes are known carriers of several diseases, including Zika virus, Chikungunya virus and West Nile virus.” – Dr. Harris
Dr. Harris emphasized the necessity to be more careful and Americans around the country need to take precaution to help prevent mosquito bites.
So beware of mosquitoes, because Zika has no available vaccine yet like in the case of Chikungunya virus or West Nile virus. Thus, Dr. Harris emphasized the only protection is preventing mosquito bites. During outdoor activities, it is advisable to take precaution by eliminating standing water where mosquitoes can breed especially during the spring and summer months.
Warmer Weather, More Mosquitoes
Summer is the favorite season for mosquitoes. Also, mosquitoes thrive in warmer places. As temperatures go warmer, so will the threat of mosquito-borne illnesses like the deadly Zika virus. In the US, June, July and August are major months for mosquito season. However, as early as March, the southern part of the US begins to get warmer, so there is a likelihood mosquitoes may swarm too.
Zika virus has made headlines and has alarmed the American community as well in South and Central America. A number of cases were reported in the Caribbean and American Samoa, South and Central America, and more than 190 travel-related cases were reported in the U.S.
Orkin’s Tips to Protect against Mosquito-borne Illnesses:
To prevent mosquito bites especially as summer is approaching, it advisable to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. The use of EPA-registered mosquito repellents is highly recommended as well.
It is advisable also to eliminate standing water in yards, as they are suitable breeding grounds for mosquitoes. As a concerned member of the family, it is important to remove standing water from pails, gutters, toys and other containers.
In addition, it is important to eliminate entry points into homes. An example for this is using air-conditioning when possible, rather than leaving doors open.
