Chicago was just ranked the second worst city in the U.S. for mosquitoes

Summer in Chicago officially has five seasons now: winter, construction, street festival, humid apocalypse and mosquito ambush. 

According to a newly released ranking from pest control company Orkin, Chicago was just named the second-worst city in the United States for mosquitoes, trailing only Los Angeles. New York landed in third place. Somehow, the city famous for brutal winters has become one of America’s top mosquito capitals. 

The rankings are based on the number of new residential mosquito treatments Orkin performed between March 18, 2025 and March 18, 2026. And while Chicago holding onto the No. 2 spot may sound mildly annoying at first, experts say the bigger story is how mosquito activity is expanding well beyond the traditional southern hotspots.

For years, Atlanta dominated the list. But according to Orkin, Los Angeles has held the top spot since 2021, signaling a broader nationwide shift in mosquito activity patterns, as researchers describe.

“Over the past decade, we’ve seen mosquito activity expand beyond traditional hotspots and become a nationwide concern,” said Shannon Sked, an entomologist with Orkin. “Emerging trends—especially in the Midwest—show how shifting climate conditions and the expanding range of the yellow fever mosquito are creating new hotspots across the country.”

In other words, the Midwest mosquito era has arrived. And Chicago isn’t even alone in its suffering. Milwaukee jumped 15 spots this year, while Minneapolis climbed six places to No. 13 nationally.

Beyond ruining rooftop cocktails, mosquitoes remain a genuine public health concern. Orkin notes that mosquitoes can spread diseases, including West Nile virus, Zika and Eastern Equine Encephalitis, while cases of dengue fever are also increasing in the United States. The company recommends the usual anti-mosquito survival tactics: eliminate standing water, wear long sleeves when possible, trim overgrown vegetation and use CDC-recommended repellents.

At this point, surviving a Chicago summer may require SPF 50, a patio reservation and enough bug spray to fumigate a small forest.