storm drains, catch basins, wastewater systems, neglected swimming pools, and other stagnant-water habitats.
They are among the primary carriers of West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis in many parts of the United States.
Google is seeking permission to release up to 16 million male Southern House Mosquitoes annually in both California and Florida over a twoyear period. If fully implemented, that permit could involve another 64 million mosquito releases.
The Science
While the numbers sound enormous, the science itself is not new.
The mosquitoes are infected with Wolbachia, a bacterium naturally found in many insect species. Scientists estimate that more than half of all insect species on Earth carry some form of Wolbachia.
When a Wolbachia-infected male mates with a female that does not carry the same Wolbachia strain, the resulting eggs fail to hatch. If the female already carries the same Wolbachia strain, however, the eggs develop normally.
No pesticides are sprayed. No genetic modification is involved in the current applications.
Instead, the mosquitoes carry what amounts to a form of biological birth control.
The released males do not bite because male mosquitoes feed primarily on plant sugars rather than blood. Their only job is to locate wild females and mate.
If enough Wolbachia-carrying males are present, mosquito populations can decline significantly because fewer viable offspring are produced.
The concept has been studied for years and has already been
