If it feels like NYC has become the unofficial mosquito capital of the Northeast, you’re not wrong. New York just ranked third on Orkin’s list of 2025’s worst mosquito cities—beaten only by Los Angeles and Chicago—and that relentless buzzing in your ear isn’t just in your head.
Not surprisingly, this bloodsucking boom has been fueled by rain. The city has logged nearly four extra inches of rainfall since April compared to this time last year, turning gutters, flowerpots and every poorly drained corner of the five boroughs into prime mosquito nurseries. According to entomologists, it only takes a bottlecap’s worth of water for mosquitoes to lay up to 200 eggs—and those eggs hatch fast.
RECOMMENDED: You’re seeing way more fireflies than usual in NYC this summer—here’s why
“The fact that we’ve seen a lot of mosquitoes now is not really a surprise to me considering how much rain we’ve had,” Columbia University environmental health professor Jeffrey Shaman told Gothamist. “They can bite you in your yard, they can bite you in the parks.”
This year’s surge is being called one of the most intense seasons in recent memory, thanks to warm, wet conditions and a climate that’s increasingly leaning subtropical. Mosquito Joe, a national pest-control company, warned that conditions across NYC are “ramping up” to be particularly severe.
The good news is that while bites are definitely up, West Nile cases are way down. New York has seen a 91-percent drop in positive mosquito pools compared to last year, according to the Department of Health. Still, public health experts warn against getting too comfortable. Mosquitoes can spread West Nile, Zika and even malaria—yes, malaria has recently popped up in states like Maryland and Florida.
If you want to fight back, experts recommend the “BITE” method: Block skin with long sleeves and EPA-approved repellents; install screens on doors and windows, trim grass and shrubs and eliminate standing water wherever it hides. You can also plant mosquito-repelling herbs like rosemary, mint and lavender—or just embrace the aesthetic of a citronella candle fortress.
Until cooler weather hits in October, expect more bites, more buzz and more aggressive swatting. Welcome to summer in the swampy city.