SIT Mosquitoes: The Future of Mosquito Control?

What would a summer without mosquito bites mean to you? Wouldn’t it be great to go play at the park or sit by the fire without having to douse yourself or your children in mosquito repellant? While mosquito treatments continue to be some of the best ways to repel pests, science is getting on the action with genetically modified mosquitoes.

It all starts with SIT

Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is a term used in the mosquito control industry to refer to the releasing of sterile male mosquitoes. Mosquitoes, while annoying, are an important part of many ecosystems as they are an important food source for many other animals. Since “kill them all” isn’t a viable strategy, the next best option is to manage their populations by releasing altered male mosquitoes that produce no offspring or only offspring that won’t survive to adulthood.

Does SIT work for all mosquitoes?

There are 1000s of species of mosquitoes in the world spanning nearly every continent. SIT and similar tactics are currently being used to target Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, two invasive mosquito species in the U.S. that are capable of transmitting dengue fever, yellow fever, Zika, and chikungunya.

How are SIT mosquitoes created?

The first SIT mosquitoes were the product of radiation-based sterilization, but new techniques have been introduced. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, and private companies have been working together to find the best release strategies for mosquito control in the United States.

Traditional SIT techniques use X-rays or radioactive materials to sterilize males. The sterile males are released in the field to mate with local females, producing non-viable offspring. This method requires no genetic engineering and has an extensive history of being used in other organisms as well. Another method relies on a bacteria called Wolbachia, which occurs naturally in about half of all insects, but not in the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. When this bacterium is introduced to the mosquitoes, it causes a form of sterility known as “cytoplasmic incompatibility”. Likewise, a similar effect can be seen when a different strain of Wolbachia is introduced to the Aedes albopictus mosquito. This method also avoids the need to genetically engineer mosquitoes, however, this method is different than the release of Wolbachia-infected females that is currently being used in Australia, Brazil, and other countries to reduce the ability of female mosquitoes to transmit deadly pathogens.

A third SIT strategy involves genetically modified mosquitoes from the company Oxitec. For more than 10 years, Oxitec has been pioneering the field of mosquito genetic modifications and is currently the only company approved to release genetically modified mosquitoes in the United States. First released in the Cayman Islands, these sterile mosquitoes have been used in the fight against mosquito-borne illnesses in other countries, including in the Florida Keys and Texas, but are controversial due to the use of genetic modifications.

Why bother with SIT mosquitoes?

Male mosquitoes don’t bite humans or any other animals. They feed on nectar and generally don’t bother people so using them to create non-viable offspring will reduce the overall impact of mosquitoes on people. Because males do not bite humans, no additional precautions need to be taken in areas where SIT mosquitoes are released.

Will SIT replace the use of mosquito repellants?

While SIT has been deployed with success in a number of areas, there are a variety of factors limiting its broad use. Only time will tell how SIT mosquito technology will be adopted around the world. Mosquitoes continue to be the world’s most deadly animal and it’s important to take measures to protect against mosquito-borne diseases.

While a lot of scientific progress has been made with SIT mosquitoes, keeping your property free of mosquitoes now is easier than ever. Contact the professionals at Mosquito One to provide excellent service with guaranteed mosquito-free results for your Michigan property. Book 2021 service online and enjoy a mosquito-free yard this year!

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