GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Good news, West Michigan: You may be scratching fewer mosquito bites this summer, if Orkin’s newest rankings are any indication.
The Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek market slid to 18th place this year in pest control company’s list of Top 50 Mosquito Cities. The area ranked 15th in the nation last year.
The rankings are based on the number of residential and business customers in each area who needed mosquito treatments by Orkin between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017.
Atlanta topped the list for the fourth year in a row, followed by Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York and the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area. Detroit ranked eighth and the Flint-Saginaw-Bay City area came in at 46.
The majority of cities with the most calls for mosquitoes were in the southeastern U.S., according to Orkin.
The pest control company recommends the following steps to curb mosquitoes in and around your yard:
- Remove standing water from buckets, toys and other containers. Mosquitoes need just an inch of standing water to lay their eggs.
- Change water weekly in bird baths and outdoor fountains.
- Keep pool water treated and circulating
- Clean gutters regularly to avoid pooling water
- Trim shrubbery
- Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants
- Apply an EPA-registered mosquito repellant containing DEET, picaridin or IR3535
- Seal door/window frames and repair any damaged screens