Detroit was identified as having a high potential for mosquitoes due to record-setting rainfall and the highest temperatures on record for May in almost three decades.
DETROIT – Summer may be coming to an end, but residents in Michigan’s largest city should still be on the lookout for disease-carrying pests.
That’s the message from the National Pest Management Association, which listed Detroit on its annual Vector Sectors list identifying the top 10 U.S. cities with the greatest risk for vector pests such as ticks and mosquitoes.
The list was released on Aug. 13, meaning the threat is still very much in play despite the waning warm weather.
According to the NPMA, vector pests are particularly troublesome because of their ability to transmit pathogens such as Lyme disease and West Nile virus to humans through their bites,
“We’ve identified 10 cities with established pest populations that also experienced record-setting rainfall and heat this spring and summer, as these favorable conditions will put them at an increased risk for vector pest pressure for the remainder of the season,” said Cindy Mannes, vice president of public affairs for NPMA.
“Both ticks and mosquitoes thrive in areas with warmer temperatures and excessive rainfall, as standing water allows for more opportunities to breed and increase population numbers.”
Detroit was identified as having a high potential for mosquitoes due to record-setting rainfall and the highest temperatures on record for May in almost three decades.
Detroit was listed alongside Birmingham, Charlotte, Chicago, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and West Palm Beach.