North Carolina Town Makes Top 10 List For The Most Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are undoubtedly a pain. These tiny, buzzing insects can quickly transform a peaceful outdoor setting into a battlefield of itchy bites and constant annoyance. During this time of the…
Mosquitoes are undoubtedly a pain. These tiny, buzzing insects can quickly transform a peaceful outdoor setting into a battlefield of itchy bites and constant annoyance. During this time of the year, anticipation builds for enjoyable evenings spent outdoors in the warmth. However, the excitement can quickly fade when the unwelcome thought of mosquitoes comes to mind. Even though mosquitoes seem to be everywhere, some places have it worse than others.
Orkin, a pest control company, released its latest ranking of the most mosquito-infested cities. Each year, they rank the top 50 cities for mosquitoes. They gathered the data from the metro areas where they carried out the highest number of mosquito control services between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023. The list has both residential and commercial mosquito treatments.
Maintaining its position for the third consecutive year, Los Angeles once again claimed the top spot on Orkin's annual Top 50 Mosquito Cities List. Not far behind are Chicago and New York, which hold numbers two and three for the second year in a row.
In addition, Atlanta climbed two spots securing the number four spot. While Dallas/Fort Worth experienced a slight shift by moving up one spot and landing at number five on the list.
Charlotte ranks in the Top 10
Charlotte certainly has its fair share of mosquitoes. In the recent rankings, the city secured the number 10 spot, placing it among the top ten mosquito-infested cities.
According to Orkin, mosquitoes thrive in warm temperatures and after rainfall can lay their eggs in low-lying pods and reproduce rapidly. The pest control company suggests opting for loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants as a protective barrier. It also suggested that you use an EPA-registered mosquito repellent that contains ingredients like DEET, picaridin, or IR3535. As week as eliminating any standing water in bird feeders, pet water bowls, potted plants, wading pools, and children's toys. These serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
What other cities made the list? See the full Top 50 ranking here.
5 Plants That Will Make Your Garden Smell
Plants don't always give off beautiful floral aromas, scents, and smells. There are plants that give off unpleasant smells that could stink up your garden. Most plants give off produce scents to lure in pollinators and repel predators.
Bees and butterflies are drawn to your garden by sweet scents from fragrant flowers. Plants with foul odors smell this way to attract flies and beetles which normally lay their eggs in feces and rotting materials.
With the gardening season around the corner, you may want to consider avoiding putting these plants in your garden.
Here are five plants that can smell up your garden.
Crown Imperial Plants
Getty ImagesThe flowers have a potent, musky scent almost like a skunk, which deters rodents and voles as well as squirrels and deer from the garden. Crown imperial plants are native to Asia and the Middle East. They come in These flowers come in shades of red, orange, and yellow.
Stinking Corpse Lily
Getty ImagesThe flower has a large central opening surrounded by petal-like structures and can grow huge, weighing up to 24 pounds. Also known as the rafflesia arnoldii, which smells and even looks like a rotting carcass.
Carrion Flower
Getty ImagesThese flowers are often pollinated by flies and other insects that are attracted to the smell of decay. The most common odors describe it as smelling like a rotting animal, a dead mouse, foul, and sulfur-like during flowering.
Skunk Cabbage
Getty ImagesSkunk Cabbages get their name from the fact they produce a smell of rotting meat or skunk when their leaves are bruised or crushed. While the smell may be unpleasant, the odor can help keep pests away and attract beneficial pollinators including bees and butterflies.
Corpse Flower
Getty ImagesThis flower is far from sweet. The United States Botanic Garden says its the worst-smelling flower in the world. Also known as the titan arum, some people compare its smell to a stinking corpse or rotting flesh.
