Detroit moves up list of worst US cities for mosquitoes

Detroit has re-entered the top ten worst cities for mosquitoes list, according to Orkin.

Orkin released their annual Top 50 Mosquito Cities List, with 11 new cities cracking the rankings.

Last year, Detroit was ranked No. 11. This year, Detroit is up four spots to No. 7. Grand Rapids dropped seven spots to No. 29.

Related: Michigan house centipedes: Why you shouldn't kill them

“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.”

For the sixth year in a row, the Atlanta area topped the list. 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. 

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
2.    New York (+1)
3.    Washington, D.C. (+1)
4.    Chicago (+1)
5.    Houston (+2)
6.    Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas (-4)
7.    Detroit (+4)
8.    Philadelphia (+9)
9.    Charlotte, N.C. (+1)
10.    Raleigh-Durham, N.C. (+5)
11.    Phoenix (+14)
12.    Los Angeles (+4)
13.    Boston (+20)
14.    Miami (-6)
15.    Baltimore (+27)
16.    Richmond, Va. (+14)
17.    Nashville (-4)
18.    Tampa (-4)
19.    Indianapolis (+5)
20.    St. Louis (-14)
21.    Norfolk, Va. (+2)
22.    Orlando (-3)
23.    Greenville, S.C. (+8)
24.    Denver (new to list)
25.    Kansas City (-16)
26.    Tulsa, Okla. (+9)
27.    Minneapolis (+5)
28.    Albany, New York (-2)
29.    Grand Rapids, Mich. (-7)
30.    Memphis (-18)
31.    Oklahoma City (+9)
32.    New Orleans (-3)
33.    Cleveland, Ohio (+14)
34.    Lafayette, La. (-7)
35.    Burlington, New York (new to list)
36.    Mobile, Ala. (-15)
37.    Milwaukee (new to list)
38.    Austin (-18)
39.    Knoxville, Tenn. (+7)
40.    Cincinnati (new to list)
41.    San Antonio (-5)
42.    West Palm Beach, Fla. (+6)
43.    Greensboro, N.C. (new to list)
44.    Hartford, Conn. (-8)
45.    Savannah, Ga. (new to list)
46.    Jacksonville, Fla. (new to list)
47.    Baton Rouge (new to list)
48.    Amarillo, Texas (new to list)
49.    Madison, Wisc. (new to list)
50.    Charleston, S.C. (new to list) 


About the Author:

Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.