2023-05-25 13:34:31
NEW YORK — The summer season fills the streets with sounds of joy due to music-filled events, more people enjoying the outdoors and hundreds of seasonal activities. However, there is a noise that is not so funny… the buzzing of mosquitoes.
If you live in New York City, the city was rated one of the worst cities in the United States for mosquitoes. According to Orkin datathe five counties had the third most mosquito control services performed from April 2022 to March 2023.
That list, which includes both residential and commercial treatments, sheds light on where mosquitoes may be bad again this year.
So which city has to deal with mosquitoes the most, according to Orkin? Paraphrasing a famous song, “I Love L.A.“- and so do the bugs. Los Angeles was found to have the most anti-mosquito services.
That rating seems to make sense, as residents were warned in April about what authorities said could be the worst mosquito season in years for Los Angeles County, due to heavy rains the state has seen. Combine those showers with typically warm weather, and it’s a recipe for insects to thrive.
Chicago was ranked No. 2, with Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth rounding out the top five. No other cities in the tri-state area made the top 50.
Here is the list of the top 10 cities with mosquitoes, according to Orkin:
- The Angels
- Chicago
- New York City
- Atlanta
- Dallas-Fort Worth
- Washington, D.C.
- Philadelphia
- Detroit
- Houston
- Charlotte
So how can you prevent mosquitoes from getting close?
First, Orkin recommends getting rid of standing water in bird feeders, pet water bowls, potted plants, wading pools, and other children’s toys, since those little pools are where they like to lay their eggs.
And while things like looser-fitting long-sleeved clothing, as well as DEET-infused bug spray, can help keep bugs from becoming a nuisance, there’s another option that’s a bit more natural and may smell a bit better: the coconut.
A recent study in the journal iScience looked at whether different scented soaps made people fThey were more or less attractive to mosquitoes. And while it’s not as simple as “use this soap, not that one,” there was some data on which odors attracted or repelled mosquitoes.
“It’s a simple question with a very complex answer,” said study lead author Clement Vinauger, an assistant professor of biochemistry at Virginia Tech who studies the molecular genetics of how mosquitoes choose their prey. “What really matters is how the chemicals in the soap combine with the chemicals in the individual person.”
That might explain why a scent like coconut seemed to repel insects, while other citrus scents, known to be effective against other insects, only seemed to attract more mosquitoes.
A 2022 study showed that people known to be “mosquito magnets” may have something in their scent that attracts pests. The researchers found that people who are most attractive to mosquitoes produce a large amount of certain chemicals on their skin that are linked to odor.
Bad news for mosquito magnets: bloodsuckers stay true to their favorites over time.
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