Ticks, Mosquitoes and Stinging Insects Are Already Here… and Getting Worse

As tick-bite ER visits hit their highest level in years, NPMA's experts say the window to act is now, before summer fully arrives 

FAIRFAX, Va. (May 26, 2026) — The grill is fired up, patio furniture is finally out of storage and backyard gatherings are back, a sure sign that summer is around the corner.  

Unfortunately, warm weather also brings an increase in pests that thrive this time of year. The board‑certified entomologists at the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) warn that ticks, mosquitoes, ants and stinging insects become increasingly active as summer approaches, bringing with them a variety of serious health and property risks. 

Ticks are already making headlines, with the CDC reporting emergency room visits for tick bites at their highest level in nearly a decade. That’s a trend NPMA’s entomologists say is being amplified by the kind of erratic weather the U.S. has been experiencing. Beyond spreading illnesses like Lyme disease, some tick bites can also trigger alpha‑gal syndrome, a condition that may cause an allergy to red meat and dairy. 

Mosquitoes can transmit diseases like West Nile virus and Zika virus, and need only a half inch of standing water to lay their eggs. Stinging insects send hundreds of thousands of people to the emergency room each year, while summer heat drives ants indoors in search of food and water, causing damage and contaminating food along the way. 

“Summer is meant to be enjoyed, not spent dealing with pest problems,” said Dr. Jim Fredericks, senior vice president of public affairs at NPMA. “These pests are most active precisely when people are spending more time outside in nature and their backyards, which makes right now the most important time to act, long before the first bite.”  

The earlier in the season people take action, the more effective these steps tend to be, especially when the window between "manageable" and "full infestation" is a short one.