Detroit in the top 10 cities list for mosquitoes
Here's a piece of news that will make you itchy just thinking about it.
Detroit is full of mosquitos. A lot of mosquitos.
In fact, Orkin ranks Detroit as the 8th city in their Top 50 Mosquito Cities list for 2023.
The rankings
Detroit comes in eighth place for having the most mosquitoes, moving down one spot from last year, according to Orkin.
Orkin said mosquitoes come out more because they thrive better in warmer temperatures and after rainfall, they can lay their eggs in low-lying pools and reproduce more rapidly.
American Red Cross and Orkin, for the fourth year, are also introducing their Mosquitoes Don't Deserve a Drop campaign. It focuses on bringing awareness to the importance of maintaining the country's blood supply and protecting people against public health threats of mosquitoes. The two organizations are also partnering to host blood drives in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Dallas this summer and appointments can be made online at RedCrossBlood.org.
Orkin plans to donate $25 to the Red Cross for every mosquito control service purchased from May 22 to June 30, 2023. Overall the organization hopes to donate at least $250,000 to the Red Cross.
More: Michigan families behind on water bills can get help through new program
How other cities fared
Los Angeles for the third year in a row has ranked as the nation's highest city for mosquitoes, for the second consecutive year Chicago and New York have remained in their second and third spots as well.
Orkin retrieves the data from where they have done the most mosquito control services from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023. The list also contains residential and commercial mosquito treatments.
The top ten cities listed include the following:
Los Angeles
Chicago
New York
Atlanta
Dallas/Ft. Worth
Washington, DC
Philadelphia
Detroit
Houston
Charlotte
Other cities include Fresno, Austin, Cincinnati, San Antonio, New Orleans and more.
More: Tick and mosquito season is coming for Michigan: What to know
Dangers of mosquitoes
Mosquitoes carry diseases, such as the West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis and Zika, all of which are dangerous to humans and pets.
Orkin said that they commit themselves to educating the public on the risks associated with these blood-sucking pests, and more importantly, reducing the number of mosquitos from yards across the country.
There are more than 200 types of mosquitoes living in the continental U.S. and its territories according to Orkin. The mosquitoes typically become active when temperatures are above 68 degrees Fahrenheit overnight, and breeding season can start as early as May and last through September, with some regions seeing mosquitoes year-round.
“Female mosquitoes bite because they need blood to produce viable eggs that will hatch,” said Frank Meek, Orkin entomologist in a statement. “Mosquitoes are attracted to water sources that can be either clean and fresh or polluted, stagnant or running, in sunny or shaded locations, large or small, and in either cool or hot environments. Because of the wide variety of environments in which mosquitoes can thrive, it’s important to maintain regularly scheduled pest control services.”
Here are tips on repelling and preventing mosquito bites:
Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Apply an EPA-registered mosquito repellent containing products such as DEET, picaridin or IR3535.
Eliminate standing water in bird feeders, water bowls for pets, potted plants, wading pools and other children’s toys.
Regularly clean debris in gutters that provide moisture and harborage.
For more mosquito facts and prevention tips, visit Orkin.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Orkin releases top mosquito cities for 2023
