THENATIONALPULSE (Pulse Wires) - Silver Spring Company Unleashes 600,000 Infected Mosquitoes in DC.
A Silver Spring-based company is releasing diseased mosquitoes in the Washington, D.C. area, in hopes they will infect Asian Tiger Mosquitoes and reduce their numbers.
PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Bee Safe Mosquito Control, a Maryland-based company, has begun releasing male mosquitoes infected with the Wolbachia bacteria in the D.C. area, hoping they will spread the disease to aggressive Asian Tiger Mosquitoes and reduce their populations. These “ZAP males” make female mosquitoes infertile after mating, preventing them from producing offspring. Skeptics of insect programs warn that the potential risks to human health and to species that feed on mosquitoes are unclear. DETAIL: The Asian Tiger Mosquito is a common pest in the region and is capable of transmitting diseases such as Dengue Fever, Zika, and Yellow Fever. The ZAP males are sourced from MosquitoMate, a Kentucky-based company with EPA…Open