Wolbachia

The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District is releasing 480,000 sterile male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia bacteria to reduce the invasive species' population. These mosquitoes, which cannot reproduce with wild females, aim to combat dengue transmission in the unincorporated community of Basset. The 16-week program targets peak mosquito season (August-October) to maximize mating success and reduce bites.

A Silver Spring, Maryland business is releasing 600,000 Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes in the DC area to control the Asian Tiger Mosquito population, which can transmit diseases like Dengue and Zika. The males, which do not bite, render female mosquitoes infertile after mating. The program, using EPA-approved technology, is the first of its kind in the DMV region.

Google plans to release millions of Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes in Florida and California to reduce disease-spreading mosquito populations. The 'De Bug' program aims to curb diseases like Zika and West Nile virus by preventing eggs from hatching when infected males mate with wild females. The Florida Keys and Miami-Dade County have already tested similar initiatives, with the latter's 2018 program deemed successful but costly.

Google plans to release up to 32 million sterile male mosquitoes in Florida over two years to reduce disease-spreading Aedes aegypti populations. The Debug project uses Wolbachia bacteria to sterilize male mosquitoes, which mate with wild females but produce no offspring, achieving up to 90% population suppression in Singapore. The EPA is reviewing the proposal for experimental use in Florida and California.