Deadlier than the male
Millions of genetically-modified male mosquitoes are to be released in Florida, in what activists claim could pose major risks to fragile ecosystems like the Florida Keys and Texas and may pose risks to public health and safety
and will needlessly put Floridians, the environment and endangered species at risk
, while Oxitec, the biotech company involved, claims There is no potential for risk to the environment or humans
. Well, they would, wouldn't they?
As far as I can tell, neither side offers much information to substantiate their claims. The activists, in particular, seem to be shooting from the hip, especially given that Aedes aegypti is invasive to southern Florida and is developing resistance to pesticides. Oxitec, on the other hand, points to having released over a billion of our mosquitoes over the years
, which in itself doesn't substantiate that the practice is without environmental consequences; other than eliminating mosquitoes, that is.
So, it comes down to a case of he said, she said
. But I did learn something of interest.
Only female mosquitoes bite humans because they need blood to produce eggs. So the plan is to release the male, modified mosquitoes who will then hopefully breed with wild female mosquitoes. However the males carry a protein that will kill off any female offspring before they reach mature biting age. Males, which only feed on nectar, will survive and pass on the genes. Over time, the aim is to reduce the population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the area and thereby reduce the spread of disease to humans.
So, next time I'm bitten by a mosquito, I'll know that it's a girlie. The bitch!