MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — They suck blood, spread illness and swarm and now tech giant Google wants to unleash tens of millions of mosquitoes in Florida and California.
The purpose of the massive release would be to help eradicate disease.
It’s a program called De Bug that would release male mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia, a naturally occurring bacteria.
When those males mate with wild females, the eggs won’t hatch, so the population of disease vectors declines.
The Florida Keys has already been on the front lines of similar mosquito technology.
This will be the second year using infected mosquitos in a pilot program.
Mosquito experts and home service companies like Mosquito Joe said using an arsenal of tools is vital.
“Mosquitoes are a public health issue,” said Mosquito Joe co-owner Yoel Guitierrez. “They bring Zika, chikungunya, West Nile virus.”
Officials in Miami-Dade and Broward counties say Google has reached out to them.
A similar program in 2018 was deemed a success in Miami-Dade County, but it was expensive.
Google is trying to get approval from the Environmental Protection Agency, which is accepting public comments on the proposal through Friday.
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