The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) will put a new mosquito control technique to work this summer when it releases Wolbachia-infected male, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to lower the population of that species within three 20-acre locations.
This technique, developed by vendor MosquitoMate, was approved for commercial use by the Environmental Protection Agency as well as the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Wolbachia is a naturally occurring bacterium that affects mosquito reproduction in some mosquito species including the Aedes aegypti.
In early June, technicians will begin releasing a limited number of Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes in Key Largo, Plantation Key and Key Colony Beach. Male mosquitoes do not bite.
When the Wolbachia-infected males mate with local female Aedes aegypti, the resulting eggs do not hatch, reducing the number of adult mosquitoes.
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes thrive in urban areas, around humans and are the primary carrier of several diseases including yellow fever, dengue fever and Zika.
The Wolbachia males will be prepared and shipped from a facility in Kentucky; read more at mosquitomate.com
“Protecting public health is one of the main goals of our district, which is why the development of these novel technologies is so important,” said Andrea Leal, executive director.
FKMCD has previously examined and worked with other ‘novel’ control measures that use the mosquito itself as a mode of control. In 2022, FKMCD and Oxitec released male Aedes aegypti that were genetically manipulated to reduce offspring. The Oxitec releases and trial ended in 2024. The EPA is still evaluating the Oxitec product for potential registration and eventual expanded use.
