Florida Mosquitoes, Worst in the U.S.?
Posted by Mosquito SquadJuly 24, 2024
Does Florida have the most mosquitoes? Do Florida mosquitoes transmit more diseases than any other state?
If you live in Northeast Florida, or simply vacation here, you are familiar with the great potential for mosquito encounters. Mosquitoes live here. They thrive here. Sun, surf, lakes, ponds, pools…Florida is an ideal place for mosquitoes to set up house and home. But are mosquitoes worse in Florida than all other U.S. states?
How many mosquito species does Florida have?
There are over 3,500 known species of mosquitoes, 175 of which are found in the entire United States. Of those 175 species in the U.S., Florida is home to about 80, second only to Texas, with 85 species. Though we do have a great number of mosquito species in Florida, they do not all transmit diseases. That is left up to about 20 species of the 80 that are found here.
Does Florida have the biggest mosquito population?
A few online sources have ranked Florida the state with the biggest mosquito populations. This is not a surprise, as stated above, our climate makes an ideal mosquito habitat. Warmth and available water sources help mosquitoes proliferate at alarming rates here.
Jacksonville, Florida, is ranked #25 in the top 50 cities for mosquitoes per those same sources.
Does Florida have the highest number of mosquito diseases?
In 2023, Florida had seven cases of locally transmitted malaria, more than Texas and Maryland, the other two states with confirmed cases. Florida did not even rank in the top five states for West Nile virus in 2023. The worst states for West Nile were in 2023 Colorado, California, Nebraska, Illinois, and South Dakota. Florida was #2 in 2023 for Eastern equine encephalitis, with two cases of this rare, potentially fatal mosquito-borne illness. With 153 cases of Dengue in 2023, Florida ranked #2 behind Puerto Rico, which reported a whopping 840 cases.
Other illnesses, like St. Louis encephalitis, La Crosse encephalitis, and Jamestown Canyon virus, were not transmitted in Florida in 2023. And though Florida reported nearly 1,500 cases of Zika in 2016, there have been no cases since 2017.
Mosquito Control Jacksonville, Defend Against Potential Illness
With 20 known potential disease-carrying mosquito species in Florida, as well as expansive populations of mosquitoes, the CDC recommends using personal mosquito repellent away from home, and backyard mosquito control at home.
Mosquito Squad provides effective mosquito control in Jacksonville and surrounding aeras, including Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, St Augustine, and St Johns FL. Our technicians will help you choose between our traditional barrier mosquito treatment, non-synthetic mosquito control, and mosquito misting system, for a formula and application method that best suits your needs.
Search for mosquito control Jacksonville and choose Mosquito Squad.
Mosquito Squad of Northeast Florida is not simply a mosquito control company in Jacksonville. We are ready to help defend your property against mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and more! We additionally offer treatments for no-see-ums, spiders, and ticks so you can confidently enjoy your backyard. Plus, our goal is your complete satisfaction.
Put our mosquito control Jacksonville FL to work for you. Call Mosquito Squad of Northeast Florida at (904) 844-0816 to learn more about our formulas and outdoor pest control plans.
Also read: Is Dengue fever in Florida?