Sacramento to release 400,000 sterile mosquitoes to fight off invasive ones

By James Taylor, CBS13 Photojournalist

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SACRAMENTO (KOVR) — Sacramento is launching a new tactic to stop the spread of invasive mosquitoes that can infect people with Zika and dengue fever.

The plan, which was just approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, is to release 400,000 live mosquitoes into the environment.

“We need ways to combat these mosquitoes, which are posing a public health threat,” said Luz Maria Robles with the Sacramento Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District.

The swarm will initially be released across 100 acres of Sacramento’s south Natomas neighborhood, which has been the biggest breeding ground.

To ensure the mosquitoes are safe for the public, only sterile males will be used in the program.

“Male mosquitoes do not bite, so while you might see more mosquitoes than usual, we want those males to mate with the wild females because once they do, their eggs will not hatch,” Robles said.

Fresno’s consolidated mosquito district was the first in California to use this technique, and they say data shows it is safe and effective.

“We had tremendous success with that program in the areas where we did release,” said Jodi Holeman, manager of the Fresno abatement district. “We got in excess of 98% suppression.”

If successful in south Natomas, releases could occur in other Sacramento neighborhoods, Robles said.

The Sacramento Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District says it will cost about $33,000 to purchase the mosquitoesnd the releases are scheduled to begin on july 8th.

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