As the weather warms up and communities across the country prepare to spend more time outside, the threat of outdoor pests doesn’t have to put a damper on those plans. TruGreen released its 2020 list of cities most bothered by bugs.
Compiled from 2019 customer data, this year’s list also includes the increased percentage in services provided compared to the previous year. While July remained the month for peak infestation for a second consecutive year, residents are taking steps now to ensure their outdoor experience is both enjoyable and safe.
- New York (15 percent increase)
- Boston (10 percent increase)
- Chicago (30 percent increase)
- Atlanta (18 percent increase)
- Dallas-Fort Worth (20 percent increase)
- Detroit (20 percent increase)
- Washington, D.C.(20 percent increase)
- Philadelphia (24 percent increase)
- Hartford-New Haven, Conn. (5 percent increase)
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul (29 percent increase)
According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), illnesses from mosquito, tick and flea bites have tripled in the U.S., with more than 640,000 cases reported during the 13 years from 2004 through 2016. Mosquitoes and ticks and the diseases they spread – from West Nile to Zika and Lyme disease – are increasing in number and moving into new areas. As a result, more people are at risk for infection. Also, May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month and an opportunity to shed light on proven prevention strategies in parts of the country where ticks are more prevalent.
“As we spend more time home and temperatures begin to rise, families are looking to get outdoors. This much anticipated warmer weather will also undoubtedly bring the arrival of mosquitoes, fleas and ticks,” said John Bell, board-certified entomologist at TruGreen. “Our hope is that by making cities and states aware, we can combat these pests, and the diseases they carry, before they become a bigger problem during peak months. Our TruGreen Mosquito Control and TruShield Flea and Tick Control provides a multi-pronged approach – selection, prevention, management and treatment – to protect against pests so you can enjoy life outside, bug-free.”
TruGreen further examined the customer data to identify the top 10 markets affected by ticks and mosquitoes:
| Ticks | Mosquitoes | |
| 1. | New York | Chicago |
| 2. | Boston | New York |
| 3. | Hartford-New Haven, Conn. | Boston |
| 4. | Philadelphia | Atlanta |
| 5. | Providence-New Bedford, R.I. | Dallas-Fort Worth |
| 6. | Portland-Auburn, Maine | Detroit |
| 7. | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, N.Y. | Washington, D.C. |
| 8. | Detroit | Philadelphia |
| 9. | Pittsburgh | Minneapolis-Saint Paul |
| 10. | Buffalo, N.Y. | Hartford-New Haven, Conn. |
TruGreen encourages the following few tips that complement its mosquito, flea and tick programs to help consumers minimize pest presence and keep themselves and their families safe:
| Ticks | Mosquitoes |
| • Keep grass no more than three inches high, trim shrubs and other lawn vegetation, and move decaying brush to reduce tick hiding places. | • Remove or regularly replace standing water that accumulates in things like buckets and birdbaths where mosquitoes lay their eggs. |
| • Protect decks, patios and outdoor play equipment by placing them in a sunny location and away from trees when possible. | • Make sure your lawn is free from piles of twigs, branches and leaves, which provide harborage for mosquitoes. |
| • Use a DEET-based insect repellant, especially on your ankles, wrists and neck. | • Keep your lawn well mowed and other vegetation trimmed to eliminate cool spots where mosquitoes prefer to hang out. |
| • Outfit your pets with flea and tick collars to help decrease ticks over time and reduce ticks in the home. | • Plant mosquito-repelling herbs in your garden, including citronella, basil and/or lavender. |
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