Thousands of Male Sterile Mosquitoes Have Been Released in South Carolina

Picture courtesy: (New Scientist) Male sterilized mosquitoes to mate with the other female specie to stop reproduction released by the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District.

(The Post News)– In an effort to fight the spread of female mosquitoes targeting human beings, officials of the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District initiated a strategy to release thousands of mosquitoes in a local environment located in South Carolina on Thursday. The mosquitoes in question are known as Aedes aegypti and began to infest Los Angeles County in 2014, which got people worried over potential outbreaks of illnesses caused by the mosquitoes.

The purpose of the lab-raised, irradiated male mosquitoes being released is that they find the female mosquito species and mate with the female of the species to impregnate them without the ability to reproduce because of the dead-end sperm. This strategy has the goal of depopulating the growth of the species by interrupting their reproductive cycle.

The adaptation of mosquitoes in urban areas and their active stinging behavior during the day is a growing concern for the public. According to Daneil Hahn, a professor in the University of Florida’s Department of Entomology and Nematology, the Aedes aegypti species moved close to people, near homes, and started biting people thousands of years ago. They are known as aggressive nuisance biters and will bite you all day long. Diseases like dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and zika are carried by these mosquitoes.

Officials taking part in this project express their hope regarding this ecological approach to targeting the issue and not disrupting or affecting other insects that are beneficial to the environment. “We know our residents are suffering,” expressed Susanne Kluh, the general manager of the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District. The control district released about 20 000 male mosquitoes that are sterile and appear lighter if they are under black light as a program test.

It is also emphasized that the sterile male mosquitoes cannot bite, and releasing them will not pose any danger or disease to human beings. In the coming month, the district is planning to release about 7 to 10 sterile mosquitoes for every female mosquito living in the region of target, the Sunnyland-Tujunga area in Los Angeles, which could amount to 60 000 mosquitoes that could be released per week. As residents wait for a surge in mosquito activity, many hope that this project being carried out will provide sustainable solutions to keep the invaders away from them.