What is the best way to deal with disease-carrying mosquitoes? More mosquitoes! At least this is the plan of scientists Google’s debug Program. The researchers want to release 16 million mosquitoes in each of the US states of Florida and California in the first phase. And then they want to do it all again next year.
Trying to reduce the mosquito population by adding millions more mosquitoes seems strange at first glance. But to understand the project, you have to look at what types of mosquitoes the researchers are fighting — and what types of mosquitoes they want to release.
In short, it’s between good mosquitoes versus bad mosquitoes.
Google’s ‘mosquito army’
The researchers plan to “raise sterile males and release them into wild insect populations,” the Debug website states. “When a wild female mates with a sterile male, her eggs will not hatch. The population gets smaller with each generation.”
Male mosquitoes will be infected with a bacteria called Wolbachia, which makes them sterile.
In theory, this should do two things: The next generation of mosquitoes will shrink when the female’s eggs are left unfertilized. And humans will not have more bite problems through additional mosquitoes, as male mosquitoes do not bite.
Separating male and female mosquitoes is not an easy task. That’s why Debug researchers are “working to develop technologies that combine sensors, algorithms, and novel engineering… to quickly and accurately distinguish males from females.”
Technology isn’t the only challenge – you can’t just release millions of mosquitoes into the wild. Google applied for a permit with the US Environmental Protection Agency; The decision of the organization is still awaited.
Dead wanted: aedes aegypti Mosquito
The debug program does not target any mosquitoes native to Florida or California. Target researchers to fight aedes aegyptiAn invasive species native to Africa.
This invader spreads dengue, yellow fever, Zika virus and chikungunya, a disease that comes with unbearable joint pain that can last for months or years.
According to Debug, 40% of the world’s population is at risk of contracting this mosquito-borne disease, which has invaded tropical, subtropical and temperate regions around the world.
aedes aegypti “This is a very nasty mosquito,” says Nathan Burkett-Cadena, an associate professor at the University of Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory.
Burkett-Cadena told DW in an email that because it is not native to Florida, there are no animals that depend on this specific mosquito for food.
“If Google started targeting native mosquito species, I would be concerned about broader environmental consequences,” he said.
since aedes aegypti Not native to Florida, this shouldn’t be a problem.
‘I like mosquitoes’
World Mosquito ProgramThe organization, run by Australia’s Monash University, fights disease-spreading mosquitoes in various countries around the world. They also release mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria in 15 countries in Asia, Oceania and the Americas.
According to the World Mosquito Monitoring Programme, Wolbachia is passed from one generation of mosquitoes to the next, reducing the number of mosquitoes that can spread the disease over a long period of time.
And, importantly, the organization says that “in areas where high levels wolbachia are present, we have not seen any outbreak of dengue.”
So, it looks like there is actually a way to shorten it aedes aegypti population.
But is it ethical? Do humans have the right to tamper with nature to this extent? Should we reduce populations, even insect populations, just because we can? Entomologists say ‘yes.’
“I love mosquitoes,” Burkett-Cadena said. “Most species cause no harm to humans and are truly beautiful creatures. However, in many places, human life is truly threatened by invasive mosquito species, and those charged with protecting human life must take action.”
Edited by: Zulfikar Abbani