Debug Fresno continues!
Monday, April 30, 2018
Mosquitoes in Fresno take the winter off and wait for spring. Not so for the Debug team. We spent the winter months carefully reviewing the data from our 2017 field study in Fresno, brainstorming on scientific and operational improvements, and updating our technologies and techniques. We think these updates put us in a great place to make an even bigger impact on the population of invasive Aedes aegypti in Fresno - and so on April 16th, Verily, in collaboration with Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District and MosquitoMate, began our first releases of sterile male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes of the 2018 season in Fresno County.
Like last year, the primary goal is to see a steep decline in the number of biting female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the areas where we release sterile male mosquitoes, but there are a few differences in the program this year. Last year, we began releasing mosquitoes in mid-July when the mosquito populations in Fresno were already approaching peak density. This year, we began releasing our sterile male mosquitoes in mid-April when mosquito reproduction is just beginning for the season, in order to outnumber and outcompete the wild male mosquito population with the release of fewer sterile male mosquitoes. In addition, we are conducting releases in more neighborhoods in Fresno County to increase the number and variety of environments included in the study.
We are pleased with what we achieved so far in Fresno County and are looking forward to continue towards the goal of reducing the number of biting, female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes during the 2018 mosquito season.
You can read more about Debug Fresno at debugfresno.com
Jacob Crawford, PhD, Senior Scientist, Verily
Like last year, the primary goal is to see a steep decline in the number of biting female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the areas where we release sterile male mosquitoes, but there are a few differences in the program this year. Last year, we began releasing mosquitoes in mid-July when the mosquito populations in Fresno were already approaching peak density. This year, we began releasing our sterile male mosquitoes in mid-April when mosquito reproduction is just beginning for the season, in order to outnumber and outcompete the wild male mosquito population with the release of fewer sterile male mosquitoes. In addition, we are conducting releases in more neighborhoods in Fresno County to increase the number and variety of environments included in the study.
We are pleased with what we achieved so far in Fresno County and are looking forward to continue towards the goal of reducing the number of biting, female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes during the 2018 mosquito season.
You can read more about Debug Fresno at debugfresno.com
Jacob Crawford, PhD, Senior Scientist, Verily