Why Hundreds of Millions of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes Will Soon Be Released in Florida

Tags: Aedes, Dengue, Genetic biocontrol, North America, Oxitec, Population suppression, Self limiting, Sterile insect technique (SIT)
K. Gander, Newsweek, 2020.

Hundreds of millions of genetically engineered mosquitoes will soon be released in Florida, in a first for the U.S. On Tuesday, the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) approved plans to release the insects, who do not bite, as part of a pilot project launching next year. Precisely when and where the trial will happen in Monroe County is yet to be determined, the FKMCD said, but an experimental use permit expires in 2022. According to the non-profit Center for Food Safety public interest and environmental advocacy organization, which opposes the move, 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes will be set free.