Controlling Mosquitos Thru a Toxic Relationship

Among the things that come with warmer weather is the sound of mosquito spraying trucks in your neighborhood. It’s a way for health officials to protect us from the infectious diseases mosquitos carry, such as West Nile, Dengue, and Zika.   

Scientists are testing biological control approaches beyond pesticide spraying to control mosquito numbers because some insects are starting to grow resistant.  An increasingly effective method is to disrupt mosquito procreation through genetics. One involves infecting Aedes aegypti mosquitos’ eggs with the bacterium, Wolbachia.  These male mosquitoes are grown into the millions in the lab before they’re released into the environment. When they mate with the biting female, the bacteria-infected eggs don’t hatch, dramatically cutting their population. Quick note, only female mosquitos bite to produce their eggs.  

In another approach, genetically modified males pass on genes to females during mating that prevent their offspring from maturing. In Australia, scientists have introduced genes for spider and sea anemone venom into males.  When they mate with females, the genes produce venom proteins that kill the female. Talk about a toxic relationship!   

Field tests show these methods are eco-friendly, safe for humans, and lower mosquito numbers. As our climate warms, they’ll pose a greater public health threat, and no doubt biological control will be increasingly important.