How to keep mosquitoes away this summer
Hot and humid weather brings out those pesky mosquitoes. Here are a few simple tips to live a mosquito-free summer.
Summer is fast approaching, and with warmer weather comes one annoying pest: Mosquitoes.
Pest control company Orkin on Monday released its Top 50 Mosquito Cities list, which “ranks metro areas by the number of mosquito customers served from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2019,” the company said in a statement, noting the list includes both residential and commercial treatments.
Coming in at No.1 — for the sixth year in a row— was the Atlanta, Ga., area. Following just behind was the New York market, which Orkin said moved up the list this year by one place.
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In third place was Washington, D.C., followed by Chicago. Next up were two Texas cities: Houston and the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. Detroit was seventh, followed by Philadelphia. Rounding out the ninth and tenth spots were Charlotte. N.C., and Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
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“Mosquitoes are more than annoying; they can be a major health threat,” Orkin entomologist Mark Beavers said in a statement. “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.”
West Nile virus, specifically, spreads through infected mosquitoes when they bite humans and animals.
The virus, was first reported in the U.S. in 1999, can result in a fever or headache, though most people infected do not experience symptoms. That said, about 1 in 150 people who are infected with West Nile virus can develop a serious illness — such as inflammation of the spinal cord or brain — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says.
Check to see if your city made the list below.
1. Atlanta
2. New York
3. Washington, D.C.
4. Chicago
5. Houston
6. Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas
7. Detroit
8. Philadelphia
9. Charlotte, N.C.
10. Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
11. Phoenix
12. Los Angeles
13. Boston
14. Miami
15. Baltimore
16. Richmond, Va.
17. Nashville
18. Tampa
19. Indianapolis
20. St. Louis
21. Norfolk, Va.
22. Orlando
23. Greenville, S.C.
24. Denver
25. Kansas City
26. Tulsa, Okla.
27. Minneapolis
28. Albany, New York
29. Grand Rapids, Mich.
30. Memphis
31. Oklahoma City
32. New Orleans
33. Cleveland, Ohio
34. Lafayette, La.
35. Burlington, New York
36. Mobile, Ala.
37. Milwaukee
38. Austin
39. Knoxville, Tenn.
40. Cincinnati
41. San Antonio
42. West Palm Beach, Fla.
43. Greensboro, N.C.
44. Hartford, Conn.
45. Savannah, Ga.
46. Jacksonville, Fla.
47. Baton Rouge
48. Amarillo, Texas
49. Madison, Wisc.
50. Charleston, S.C.
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