The 10 Buggiest Cities In America: Does Your Town Rank?

During the summer months, bugs are often more prevalent than they are the rest of the year. However, in some cities, pests seem to truly take over as the weather heats up.

An increase in insect activity isn’t just a nuisance; these bugs may also be carrying potentially dangerous diseases that can impact the humans they come in contact with. Thumbtack, a home-services app used by millions, recently released a list of the top 10 buggiest cities in America.*

Find out if you live in one of the buggiest cities in the country, and learn how you can keep you and your family safe from these annoying pests.

The Buggiest Cities In America

Using data from over one million home projects across the country, Thumbtack revealed that southern states like Florida and Texas, along with the Maryland and Washington, D.C. area, are home to the majority of spots on the list with extreme waves of heat and humidity. Below are Thumbtack's findings for the top 10 buggiest cities in the county:

1. Dallas, Texas
2. Atlanta, Georgia
3. Washington, D.C.
4. Austin, Texas
5. Houston, Texas
6. Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
7. West Palm Beach, Florida
8. Baltimore, Maryland
9. Orlando, Florida
10. Tampa, Florida

Why Are Bugs So Active In The Summer?

Because insects are cold-blooded, they come out in full force during summer. The warmer weather allows them to be more active. Vegetation is also in full bloom, which means bugs have an abundance of food sources. This can lead to problems for homeowners and kill their plants and trees.

“During summer months, the warm, humid weather can spell big trouble when it comes to mosquitos, ticks, flies, bees and other pests,” David Steckel, Thumbtack’s Home Expert, said in a statement. “Keep bugs out all summer by turning on a dehumidifier, eliminating standing water in your yard and garden and by keeping screenless windows shut. Hiring a bug control professional can help identify areas for improvement and provide you with regular maintenance to avoid problems down the line.”

What To Do If You’re Dealing With Bugs

During the summer months, homeowners — particularly those living in the buggiest cities — deal with pesky insects around their property. Here’s how to stop bugs before they become a problem in and around your home.

Keep Things Clean

Bugs are attracted to clutter and dirt, so it’s essential to keep both the interior and exterior of your home clean and rid of any messes to help prevent an infestation. Avoid accidentally feeding bugs by keeping food in air-tight containers and cleaning up any crumbs and food debris around the house, particularly in corners, in between furniture cushions and under appliances.

For homeowners who could use an extra hand keeping their home clean, hiring a professional house cleaner via Thumbtack can help get the job done. With an expert on the job, you can ensure your home will undergo a thorough cleaning, making it less attractive to bugs.

Eliminate Hiding Spots

Bugs love to hide; don’t give them a reason to do it near your home.

To keep bugs out, eliminate hiding spots by moving outdoor items that may be stored too close to your home. Items like garbage cans, potted plants, and firewood, which are often stored right next to a home, are all typical places for bugs to hide. Prevent pests from taking up residency by keeping lids on garbage cans, covering firewood, and storing items far away from your home.

In addition, cut back any trees or shrubbery that are in direct contact with your home, as this provides bugs with an easy way to travel around and inside your home.

Secure Your Home

Check for any areas where bugs could be entering your home, such as gaps between doors or rips in screens, and seal them up with caulk or by making necessary repairs. Ensure that the weatherstripping on your windows, doors, and any other area that leads to the outside has a tight seal. While these minuscule cracks may not seem like a big deal, any opening into your home is an invitation for bugs to come in.

Locating and filling in cracks, fixing screens and completing other at-home maintenance tasks can be a burden to homeowners with limited time. Instead, consider hiring a handy professional through Thumbtack to help complete your to-do list and secure your home from pests.

Clean Your Pet

Bugs may be making their way into your home in an unassuming way — by hitching a ride on your furry family members. It’s easy to overlook bugs that may have found their way into your pet's fur while they were on a walk or rolling around in the dirt outside.

Ensure your pets aren’t harboring pests by regularly bathing and grooming them. If you don’t have a regular grooming salon, you can use the Thumbtack app to easily find and hire a local mobile dog groomer who will come to your home.

You should also remove animal waste from your yard immediately and avoid leaving pet food and treats out, as this can also attract bugs and lure them inside.

Remove Standing Water

Whether it’s indoors or outdoors, standing water is a surefire way to attract unwelcome bugs. It’s a breeding ground for them, as it provides sustenance, a place to hide, and for mosquitos, a place to lay eggs.

Check that your lawn absorbs water properly and remove any pools of rainwater that may collect in pots, tires, or other objects around your yard. Cover drains and clean gutters thoroughly to ensure water is flowing properly without buildup.

Those with pools can keep pests away by regularly cleaning and chlorinating the water.

Hire A Pest Control Professional

Homeowners should take preventative measures to keep bugs out of their homes. In fact, it's a good idea to have a pest control professional inspect your house at least once a year to identify any hidden or emerging pest issues. However, if you’re already dealing with an infestation, it’s best to enlist the help of an expert.

A hired professional takes the guesswork out of exterminating bugs, saving you both time and money. With Thumbtack, you can find pest control professionals who specialize in effectively and safely removing bugs from homes, without causing harm to your family, pets or property.

First, input your zip code and the type of pest control service you need, like exterminators, termite control companies, or rat fumigators. Then, you can read through customer ratings, see hourly rates and reach out to pros directly if you have any questions. With Thumbtack, it’s easy to find the right person to help at a time and price that works for you.

RELATED: 10 tips to keep bugs out of the house.

Looking to get those pesky bugs away from your home? Let Thumbtack help you find and hire a professional to get the job done!

Source: Thumbtack Reveals the Top 10 Buggiest Cities in the U.S.

*Methodology: Data is from customer requests on the Thumbtack platform from January 2022 to present for pest control, pest inspection, bed bug extermination and outdoor pesticide application. Rankings were based on the relative frequency of such requests adjusted for the population of state and metropolitan areas.

Pricing data is based on projects requested in these categories on Thumbtack reported directly by the independent service professional or individual customer. The price reported reflects the average price over the past year. Outliers were removed if the reported price was greater than three times the standard deviation from the mean within each category.