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Ok, so why isn't this ACTUALLY being done? California is being absolutely inundated by invasive mosquitos from China. They're a proper scourge. Absolutely awfu
by Solvency 3y ago
Ok, so why isn't this ACTUALLY being done?
California is being absolutely inundated by invasive mosquitos from China. They're a proper scourge. Absolutely awful, and they're everywhere in huge numbers.
Some company recently withdrew its application to do this kind of sterile single generation mosquito population control program. I can't find any valid reason why.
They're invasive. They don't belong. Why WOULDN'T the government want to eradicate them locally?
- brnt 3y agoI suppose breeding infertile mosquitos in sufficient numbers is a challenge...
- duskwuff 3y ago> Ok, so why isn't this ACTUALLY being done? It is. For instance, it was used to eradicate screwworm in North and Central America, and continues to be used in Panama to prevent this pest from recolonizing the continent. https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/stop-screwworms--selections-fr/introduction https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/sto...
- rootw0rm 3y agoaccording to this [1], it's difficult to package them up and deliver them without harming them. if it was an easier / more lucrative problem to solve then surely it would be solved. [1] https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.aba6251 https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.aba6251
- Solvency 3y agoWhich baffles me. Because these invasive species literally got here by stowing away in containers on ships. In the least hospitable transportation. And we can't do it even with dedicated design controls and science?
- pfdietz 3y agoIt will work better on species that disperse widely. Otherwise, you have to release the sterilized males all over the area where the insect exists, and that could be difficult.