Miami rises on national mosquito list

There's no evidence that mosquitoes can spread COVID-19 but they will likely still be a nuisance this spring and summer.

MIAMI – While our worries are largely elsewhere at the moment, don’t expect mosquitos to practice any social distancing.

Pest control company Orkin has announced its annual list of the cities where it does the most residential and commercial treatments for mosquitoes, and Miami has buzzed up four spots to 10th.

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Atlanta, where Orkin is based, tops the list for the seventh consecutive year. Miami is the highest-ranking city in Florida.

West Palm Beach also had a significant rise on the list, moving up eight spots from last year to No. 34.

But no, there is no worry that mosquitos can transmit COVID-19, according to the World Health Organization.

“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,” Orkin said in its news release. “NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is forecasting above-average temperatures across the country this spring, as well as above-average precipitation in the central and eastern United States, which can indicate an earlier start to mosquito season.”

The company also noted that it is partnering with the American Red Cross and promoting blood donation during the pandemic. Through May 31, if you sign up for mosquito control service with the code REDCROSS, Orkin will donate $25 to the Red Cross, up to $100,000.

Here’s a look at Orkin’s top 20 cities for mosquito control over the period of April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020:

1. Atlanta

2. Los Angeles (+10)

3. Washington, D.C.

4. New York (-2)

5. Chicago (-1)

6. Dallas-Ft. Worth

7. Detroit

8. Charlotte, N.C. (+1)

9. Philadelphia (-1)

10. Miami (+4)

11. Raleigh-Durham, N.C. (-1)

12. Houston (-7)

13. Memphis, Tenn. (+16)

14. Richmond, Va. (+2)

15. Minneapolis (+12)

16. Tampa, Fla. (+2)

17. Nashville, Tenn.

18. Baltimore (-3)

19. Grand Rapids, Mich. (+10)

20. Orlando, Fla. (+2)