Bacteria can turn male mosquitoes into biological birth control
By infecting millions of insects with a common bacterium, researchers can trick invasive mosquito populations into a reproductive dead end without using a single drop of pesticide.
The southern house mosquito is a prolific spreader of the West Nile virus, but its greatest weakness may be a tiny passenger called Wolbachia. This bacterium is a naturally occurring symbiont found in many insects, yet it is not native to this specific mosquito species. When researchers infect male mosquitoes with the bacteria and release them into the wild, they create a biological trap. These infected males do not bite humans, as only females require blood to produce eggs, but they are highly effective at finding mates.
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