California Has The Nation's Worst Cities For Mosquitoes

LOS ANGELES, CA — If you think mosquitoes are getting worse in your neighborhood, you are probably right. Several California cities made pest control company Orkin’s 2021 “top 50 mosquito cities list” this year. Los Angeles moved all the way to the top of the list and San Diego and Fresno made it onto the list for the first time.

The list of metro areas across the United States is based on the number of customers who made mosquito calls to Orkin from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021.

The No. 1 worst city for mosquitoes in the United States is Los Angeles, according to Orkin. The City of Angels unseated Atlanta, where Orkin is based, in the top spot after the Georgia capital held No. 1 for seven years in a row. San Diego is ranked 39th and Fresno is 47th, according to Orkin. The other major California city to land on the lost — San Francisco — ranked 42, a slight improvement over the year before.

Atlanta did take the No. 2 spot in 2021, with Washington, D.C., Dallas and Chicago rounding out the top five.

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.

Frank Meek, technical services manager for Rollins, Orkin’s parent company, said in a release that like many other insects, “mosquitoes need a food source, favorable temperatures and a proper breeding site to survive.”

“They are attracted to areas where humans and other animals are present, due to our body heat and the carbon dioxide we exhale,” Meek said.

Mosquitoes can carry vector-borne diseases such as West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis and Zika. These can be contracted by humans and pets. In California, the West Nile Virus has been endemic for nearly 20 years.

Consider reducing or eliminating conditions that attract mosquitoes, and be sure to wear insect repellent to help protect yourself from bites. Things that attract mosquitoes include:

• Standing water in bird baths, fountains, potted plants, wading pools and other children’s toys.
• Debris in gutters that provides moisture and harborage.
• Overgrown shrubbery that affords dark, humid resting places.
• Torn or missing window and door screens.