Why they drop millions of mosquitoes on Hawaii

Drones drop mosquitoes in small biodegradable cylindrical containers.Image: Adam Knox / American Bird Conservancy

Researchers want to save a kind of unique bird in Hawaii. In addition, To do this, they started to drop millions of sterile male mosquitoes on the forests of the archipelago.

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Millions of mosquitoes are currently dropped on Hawaii. Similarly, Do not panic, it’s not about frightening travelers who hate bites. Meanwhile, On the contrary: if researchers release mosquitoes above Hawaii. In addition, it is in the long term idea, to considerably reduce their number.

Because an extinction threatens the birds of the archipelago: endemic volatiles in magnificent colors disappear in vision of the forests. In addition, In question: an imported disease, avian malaria. Consequently, It is transmitted by non-indigenous mosquitoes and against which birds have not developed natural protection. Therefore, Some die after a single bite. However, Of the 50 species of fringillidized birds that used to exist, only 17 still exist in the wild.

Kiwikiu is threatened. There are less than 200 left in Hawaii.Image: Zach Pezzillo. Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project

To avoid the imminent extinction of other species such as kiwikiu or ‘akeke’e, scientists use a measure which seems unconventional: releases of millions of sterile male mosquitoes above certain forests. Their goal: to reduce the population of these insects over the long term. and thus offer a chance of survival to volatiles.

Sterile males against malaria – Why they drop millions mosquitoes

The mosquitoes in question come from laboratories. These are exclusively why they drop millions mosquitoes males who do not bite and who are infected with a bacterial strain called Wolbachia. This prevents them from reproducing with wild females, their eggs will never be fertilized.

The method. known as “Incompatible Insect Technique”, has already proven itself in other regions of the globe to combat insects that transmit human diseases – for example in Florida, California or China. In Hawaii, it is now used for the first time to protect a threatened animal species.

The mosquitoes are in refrigerated containers before they are dropped above the forests.Image: Adam Knox / American Bird Conservancy

Since the launch of the project in November 2023. the researchers why they drop millions mosquitoes have released more than 40 million individuals above the Islands of Maui and Kauai. First with helicopters, which gradually give way to large drones. These are more flexible and safer, even if they can transport less mosquitoes. The latter are dropped into small capsules of biodegradable cellulose which slowly decompose on the ground.

Foreign mosquitoes in Hawaii

The threat – apparently natural – has in fact a human cause. Indeed, Originally, there were no mosquitoes in Hawaii. It was not until 1826 that they arrived with a whaling, the warm and humid climate contributed to their proliferation. There are now eight different species on the archipelago. two of which are particularly dangerous for local avifauna: the southern domestic mosquito, which transmits avian malaria, and the Asian mosquito-tiger, which can in particular spread the smallpox why they drop millions mosquitoes of birds.

So far, these two species lived mainly in the low and warm regions of Hawaii. But the researchers fear that climate change will warm up high altitudes to the point that mosquitoes also take foot in it -. that the last refuges of birds disappear.

French adaptation by Valentine Zenker

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