Columbus among U.S. cities that are ‘hot spots' for mosquitos, pest company says
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Mosquito season has arrived, with a pest control company naming Columbus as a hot spot for the insect this year.
Orkin releases an annual list of the cities seeing the most residential mosquito treatments, revealing 'hot spots' for the bugs. For this year's ranking, treatments performed by Orkin from April 2024 through March 2025 were considered.
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On Orkin's 2025 list of the top 50 mosquito hot spots, Columbus came in at No. 23, jumping nine spots from last year. Los Angeles was the city that saw the most treatments, taking the No. 1 spot for the fourth year in a row. Chicago came in at No. 2, and was followed by New York, Atlanta and Detroit.
Cleveland (No. 9) and Denver (No. 10) broke into the top 10 for the first time. California remained a popular area for mosquito activity overall, having five cities in the top 50, the report said.
The list by Orkin is based solely on the number of treatments in each city and does not factor in population sizes, which likely impacted the rankings. The cities sitting at the top of the list are some of the most populated in the country.
Beyond being a nuisance, mosquitoes pose a threat to people's health, Orkin stated. The insect causes over 600,000 malaria-related deaths globally each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They can also transmit other diseases such as the West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis and Zika virus.
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'Mosquito control isn't just about avoiding itchy bites,' Orkin entomologist Frank Meek said. 'It's about safeguarding your health and your community. Proactive measures are key to controlling these seasonal surges in mosquito activity.'
Orkin recommends taking preventative action to reduce mosquito activity, including wearing CDC-recommended repellants, installing tight-fitting screens on windows and doors, trimming shrubs and grass, as well as eliminating standing water.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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