It is common knowledge that Florida is home to a whole host of pests. Perhaps the most stereotypical one is the mosquito. Terminix used their data from across the United States to determine the top mosquito cities. Unsurprisingly, Florida was on the list quite a few times. This week, we explore the top mosquito cities in Florida.
As a disclaimer, this data only applies to major cities where Terminix is present. It is likely that small towns or rural areas actually have more mosquitoes, but Terminix isn’t present.
Miami (#11)
Miami, primarily known for its beaches and night life, is the top city in Florida for mosquitoes. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale area was also in the top 15 mosquito cities for Orkin. There have been multiple cases of Dengue in Miami-Dade County in 2019. This is especially concerning because the mosquito that carries Dengue also carries Chikungunya and the Zika virus.
Orlando (#14)
Orlando, one of the most major tourist cities in the world, attracts mosquitoes as well as people. One of the only places you won’t find mosquitoes in Orlando is Disney World. They have a dedicated Mosquito Surveillance Program that helps eradicate the pests from the park. Amusement park tickets don’t seem so expensive once you realize that you are getting a mosquito-free zone.
Tampa (#16)
Tampa is located on the Gulf Coast of Florida and offers a blend of beaches, amusement parks, and night life. While it is slightly smaller than both Miami and Orlando, the mosquito statistics are almost equivalent. Due to the abundance of coastal and brackish waters, Tampa has a massive population of salt marsh mosquitoes.
Salt marsh mosquitoes often fly in cartoonish swarms. There is a small silver lining, they do not carry deadly diseases. On the other hand, they are one of the most aggressive species of mosquitoes in the world. Experts rank them as the most aggressive species of mosquito in Florida. Even if you try and cover your skin, salt marsh mosquitoes will find a way. They are known to bite through fabric and are rarely deterred by anything less than industrial levels of pesticide. Their swarm-like movements make them especially difficult to fight.
The intensity of salt marsh mosquitoes means that DIY repellents and homeowners doing their own spraying doesn’t work well. It is prudent to contact both your local pest control company and Hillsborough county to deal with salt marsh mosquitoes.
West Palm Beach (#28)
West Palm Beach, less than two hours up the Atlantic Coast from Miami, shares many of the same issues. Unfortunately for residents, they have a mix of the aggressive salt marsh mosquito and mosquitoes that carry diseases. Palm Beach County aims to prevent the spread of mosquitoes by using targeted larvicides. By targeting larvae, they can keep the population low.
Jacksonville (#32)
The city of Jacksonville has nearly 50 distinct species of mosquitoes that reside in the area. However, only about 14 of these are common. There are relatively harmless variations of the salt marsh, woodland, and house mosquitoes. In addition to those, there are mosquitoes that carry the Western Nile Virus, Malaria, and Dengue.
