The Collier Mosquito Control District is now currently implementing a new pilot program using the "Sterile Insect Technique" to combat Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes , specifically in Golden Gate City. Known for spreading diseases like Dengue fever and Zika virus , this specific type of mosquito has shown resistance to conventional insecticides and treatments, making new strategies crucial, according to the District.
Golden Gate City was chosen as the test site for the pilot program, due to its high mosquito concentrations and abundance of containers full of water that serve as breeding grounds.
"Golden Gate City is notorious in our district for having this species of mosquito that we're wanting to control," said Decyo McDuffie, CMCD’s manager of field validation.
Establishing a Baseline
The pilot program kicked off Wednesday, Jan. 8, with the deployment of nine mosquito traps across Golden Gate City, including one in Mystic Alley. The traps are dark-colored, mimic the scent of human body odor, and utilize a fan alongside CO2 to capture mosquitoes for monitoring.
“We set them early so we can track the numbers and identify when the population peaks,” McDuffie said.
These traps are key to establishing a baseline for mosquito populations in the colder months before Sterile Insect Technique treatments begin in March or April, as temperatures rise.
How SIT Works
The Sterile Insect Technique method involves sterilizing male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes through a low dose of radiation using X-rays. The males are sourced locally, with the Collier Mosquito Control District collecting eggs from field traps located throughout Collier County. Those eggs are then shipped to Rad Source , a Georgia-based lab specializing in SIT treatments.
"These mosquitoes are collected locally and sterilized using X-rays. When released, these males will mate with wild females, producing non-viable eggs and reducing the population," said Dr. Keira Lucas, deputy executive director of CMCD.
In the spring, CMCD plans to release approximately 650,000 sterile male mosquitoes across Golden Gate City.
"It's important to note that male mosquitoes do not bite and cannot spread disease. They will only help impact the population," Lucas said.
Proactive Disease Prevention
“We practice an integrated mosquito management approach, and this is the latest biological control method available to us. We like to be proactive with treating for Aedes Aegypti," Lucas said.
Sterile Insect Techniques are relatively new to the realm of mosquito control, but have been success in other pest eradication initiatives in the past, including the removal of screwworms in the 1960s. CMCD hopes the SIT program will mirror that success.