While many in the United States think of mosquitoes as little more than nusiances that cause itchy red bumps, they can transmit serious diseases—including West Nile virus—and globally, they are vectors for deadly illnesses including malaria. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, mosquitoes are the world’s deadliest animal.
That’s why, in recognition of National Mosquito Control Awareness Week, Terminix has released its list of the top 50 cities impacted by mosquitoes.
Where Are Mosquitoes Common?
Terminix based its rankings on data from Google Trends, a tool that shows how frequently a given search term or set of search terms is entered into Google's search engine over a given period of time and across specific geographic locations. To provide a more accurate measure of human interest in mosquitoes, Terminix analyzed trend data for popular mosquito-related search terms in 2020, broken out by U.S. city. This analysis helped to identify the locations with the highest proportion of mosquito-related searches compared to city population.
- Bakersfield, Calif.
- Jonesboro, Ark.
- Ft. Myers, Fla.
- Washington, D.C.
- Joplin, Mo.
- Corpus Christi, Texas
- Fresno, Calif.
- Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla.
- Flint, Mich.
- Panama City, Fla.
- Los Angeles, Calif.
- Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
- South Bend, Ind.
- Lansing, Mich.
- Waco, Texas
- Jacksonville, Fla.
- West Palm Beach, Fla.
- Austin, Texas
- Tucson, Ariz.
- Orlando, Fla.
- McAllen, Texas
- San Antonio, Texas
- Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas
- Wilmington, N.C.
- San Diego, Calif.
- Duluth, Minn.
- Palm Springs, Calif.
- Greensboro, N.C.
- Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
- Tallahassee, Fla.
- Savannah, Ga.
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Baltimore, Md.
- Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.
- Indianapolis, Ind.
- Grand Rapids, Mich.
- Baton Rouge, La.
- Charleston, S.C.
- Houston, Texas
- Topeka, Kan.
- Charlotte N.C.
- Atlanta, Ga.
- New York, N.Y.
- Mobile, Ala.
- Little Rock, Ark.
- Montgomery, Ala.
- Wichita, Kan.
- Chattanooga, Tenn.
- Philadelphia, Pa.
- Gainesville, Fla.
Mosquitoes’ Impact
While working with a professional to treat mosquito problems is recommended, homeowners can help reduce mosquito populations around their homes with the following steps:
Remove sources of standing water
Most mosquitoes need standing water in order to lay their eggs. Removing open containers, buckets, plastic sheeting or covers, and tires filled with water can help reduce the breeding sites in your yard.
Clean the gutters
It’s also important to maintain your gutter system. Leaves and other debris can build up in your gutters and downspouts, leading to water retention.
Change water sources weekly
Emptying or replacing the water in outdoor pet bowls, fountains, birdbaths, rain barrels and plant containers often will help break the mosquito breeding cycle.
Replace outdoor lighting
Mosquitoes, like many insects, can be attracted to light. Special bulbs called “bug lights” emit a different type of light than typical light bulbs. Replacing outdoor lighting with these “bug lights” can help attract fewer mosquitoes.
Mosquito Facts
- Mosquitoes can lay an average of 100 mosquito eggs in a container the size of a bottle cap.
- Female mosquitoes can lay up to 3,000 eggs within a couple of weeks.
- Mosquitoes can be active anytime the temperature is above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Breeding sites can be anywhere, including containers such as soda bottle lids, gutters, tire swings, bird baths and other locations that collect standing, stagnant water.
- Not only can mosquitoes cause welts, but they can carry pathogens that may cause disease like West Nile.
Contact a Mosquito Control Professional
Mosquitoes are prolific breeders, making an infestation hard to handle with DIY methods alone. With services such as the new Quick Guard® Mosquito Service and One-Time Mosquito Service available, a trained Terminix technician can inspect your property to address mosquito breeding sites and then treat your yard to reduce mosquito populations.
