2021 State of the Mosquito Control Market: A Great Year But Growth Slowed

Last year, mosquito control revenue grew again at pest management companies, just not as much.

According to the 2021 PCT State of the Mosquito Control Market survey, which was sponsored by MGK and compiled by independent research firm Readex Research, 50 percent of pest management professionals said revenue from mosquito control services increased at their locations. The average reported increase was 19.7 percent.

Fewer PMPs said this business segment grew, however, compared to in years past. In 2019, 63 percent of PMPs reported a jump in year-over-year mosquito control revenue; 67 and 65 percent cited increases in 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Still, the service remained an important money-maker for the 73 percent of pest management companies that offer it.

“It’s a significant part of the business. It plays an integral part in our total home experience that we look to provide our customers,” explained Trey Strickland, technical leader at Waynes, an Anticimex company in Birmingham, Ala.

Mosquito control is a win-win for companies like Fahey! Pest and Lawn Solutions in Sarasota, Fla. “I think it’s a great added- value service to your customers and an added revenue stream to your company,” said Kyle Varona, the company’s general manager.

More customers had mosquito problems in 2020 and were motivated to act. According to the PCT survey, 59 percent of PMPs said requests for mosquito control increased somewhat or significantly last year compared to 2019.

The Asian tiger mosquito, a newcomer to New York City, generated more calls for Standard Pest Management. “It’s a daytime biter, and it’s a real quality of life mosquito that just annoys the heck out of people,” said Gil Bloom, president of the company.

In Houston, Psorophora ciliata, or the gallinipper mosquito, drove interest in mosquito control for Providence Integrated Pest Management. Mosquitoes are a perennial issue here, but last summer was the first time owner Kenneth Beason ran into this particular species.

“It’s enormous — almost the size of a wasp — extremely aggressive, and they bite very hard,” said Beason, who felt the pest’s wrath firsthand while working in the field.

Allen Langley, president of H & H Pest Control in Shelby, N.C., said mosquito-only companies developed the market. “Now, all of us are into it, and we make extra income off of it. It’s brought us a lot of new business,” he said.

Last year, mosquito control services on average generated 18.3 percent of total annual revenue at companies, or about $54,600.

By comparison, 56 percent of PMPs said they earned less than 5 percent of revenue from mosquito work in 2014, when PCT published its first Mosquito Control Market report. Back then, only 38 percent of companies offered mosquito control.