Break out the bug spray.
Atlanta is among the worst metro areas in the nation for mosquitoes.
Orkin released its Top 50 Mosquito Cities list on Monday (May 24), revealing which city snagged the No. 1 spot.
The pest-control company aims to “protect people against the public health threats of mosquitoes” as part of the second-annual “Donating Blood Should be Voluntary” campaign. Orkin also aims to help the American Red Cross “in maintaining our country’s blood supply.”
Orkin notes that mosquitoes are more likely to be out when temperatures stay above 68 degrees overnight. They’re most likely to bite between dusk and dawn, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns.
“Like many insects, mosquitoes need a food source, favorable temperatures and a proper breeding site to survive,” said Frank Meek, Technical Services Manager, Rollins, Inc. “They are attracted to areas where humans and other animals are present, due to our body heat and the carbon dioxide we exhale, two of their needs.”
Orkin ranked each city by the number of mosquito customers it served between April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021.
Atlanta ranked No. 1 on Orkin’s mosquito city list last year, but the city didn't hang onto the top spot.
Now, Atlanta comes in at No. 2.
It’s second only to Los Angeles, the list shows.
Savannah also made the list, at No. 46.
These are the Top 10 “Mosquito Cities” in the U.S., according to Orkin:
- Los Angeles
- Atlanta
- Washington, D.C.
- Dallas
- Chicago
- New York
- Detroit
- Miami
- Charlotte
- Raleigh-Durham
See the full list — plus, more info about Orkin and the “Donating Blood Should be Voluntary” campaign — here.
Photo: Getty Images