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Tampa, Orlando And Miami Make The Top 50 Mosquito Cities List

Three Florida metro areas made pest control, Orkin’s, Top 50 Mosquito Cities list. No shocker Miami was one of those cities, but Tampa and Orlando also made the list.

Orkin accumulated the rankings by the number of mosquito customers, including both residential and commercial patrons, served from April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017.

“Mosquitoes are a public health threat,” said Orkin entomologist, Mark Beavers, Ph.D. said in the release on Orkin’s website. “Zika virus is currently one of the most notable illnesses that can be spread by mosquitoes, and it will likely be a problem again this year, especially in areas where the type of mosquito that can carry the virus thrives,” added Beavers, who recently participated in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2017 Aedes Vector Control Summit.Zika has been an issue in Florida since 2016 when it first made it’s way to the United States. Since then

Zika has been an issue in Florida since 2016 when it first made it’s way to the United States. Since then Florida Governor Rick Scott has fought to continue mosquito prevention in areas Zika was most prominent.

Orkin’s Tips On Preventing Mosquitoes

Start by eliminating mosquito luring conditions around the house:

• Remove standing water buckets, toys and other containers, as mosquitoes can breed in just an inch of standing water.
• Change water weekly in bird baths, fountains, potted plants and any containers that hold standing water.
• Keep pool water treated and circulating.
• Regularly clean gutters so water doesn’t pool.
• Trim shrubbery, as adult mosquitoes like to rest in dark areas with high humidity, such as under the leaves of lush vegetation. 

To avoid mosquito bites:

• Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Mosquitoes can bite through tight clothing.
• Apply an EPA-registered mosquito repellent containing products such as DEET, picaridin or IR3535.

Eliminate Entry Points:

• Repair and use window and door screens to help prevent entry.
• Close gaps around windows and doors to prevent mosquitoes from getting inside.

Orkin’s Top 50 Mosquito Cities:

1. Atlanta
2. Washington, D.C. (+1)
3. Chicago (-1)
4. New York (+1)
5. Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (+8)
6. Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas
7. Houston (+5)
8. Detroit (-4)
9. Charlotte, N.C. (-1)
10. Nashville, Tenn. (-3)
11. Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla. (+11)
12. Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, Fla. (+11)
13. Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, Va. (+1)
14. Memphis, Tenn. (-3)
15. Mobile-Pensacola, Fla. (+11)
16. West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, Fla. (+15)
17. Raleigh-Durham, N.C. (-8)
18. Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Mich. (-3)
19. Boston (-9)
20. Phoenix, Ariz.
21. Philadelphia (+9)
22. Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C., Asheville, N.C (-6)
23. Richmond-Petersburg, Va. (-2)
24. Kansas City, Mo. (+25)
25. Cleveland-Akron-Canton, Ohio (-7)
26. Louis, Mo.
27. New Orleans, La. (+16)
28. Baltimore, Md. (+9)
29. Los Angeles
30. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. (-11)
31. Hartford-New Haven, Conn. (-8)
32. Lafayette, La. (+12)
33. Knoxville, Tenn. (+1)
34. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, N.Y. (-17)
35. Indianapolis, Ind. (-8)
36. Birmingham, Ala. (+11)
37. Austin, Texas (+11)
38. Cincinnati, Ohio (+7)
39. San Antonio, Texas
40. Baton Rouge, La.
41. Charleston, S.C. (-16)
42. Shreveport, La.
43. Columbia, S.C.
44. Columbus, Ohio (-12)
45. Bangor, Maine (-16)
46. Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, Mich. (-18)
47. Greensboro-High Pt.-Winston-Salem, N.C. (-9)
48. Myrtle Beach-Florence, S.C. (-2)
49. Tulsa, Okla. (-13)
50. Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Ark.