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600K non-biting mosquitoes to be released in DC, Maryland
Hundreds of thousands of non-biting mosquitoes are being released in D.C. and Maryland to reduce the population of biting mosquitoes.
CHEVY CHASE, Md. - Hundreds of thousands of mosquitoes are being released across Maryland and Washington, D.C. this summer as part of an effort to curb populations of disease-carrying insects, but there’s a major catch.
None of the newly released insects bite humans.
The initiative, led by Silver Spring-based Bee Safe Mosquito Control, aims to reduce the biting mosquito population without resorting to widespread pesticide spraying.
How it works
What we know:
The non-traditional pest control method relies on biology rather than chemicals. Over the summer, the company is deploying about 600,000 male mosquitoes across the region.
The company noted that only female mosquitoes bite humans.
The released male mosquitoes carry a harmless bacterium that renders female mosquito eggs unable to hatch after mating. By continually releasing non-biting males to mate with local females, the overall biting population will drop over time, according to the company.
Bee Safe Mosquito Control is partnering with residential clients rather than municipal governments. The company currently serves 25 homes across Bethesda, Silver Spring, Takoma Park, and Washington, D.C., releasing about 1,500 male mosquitoes per property each week.
While the owner noted that pricing varies too widely to share publicly, experts note that rearing and preparing the insects makes the process sophisticated and costly.
"You know it's not a standalone approach—it requires labs to rear, mass-rear mosquitoes, and then select out the males," said Dr. Kathy Heinsohn, an entomologist with American Pest.
Proven global strategy
Dig deeper:
Although Bee Safe Mosquito Control is currently the only company offering this service in the D.C. area, the underlying science has decades of precedent worldwide.
The World Mosquito Program has used bacteria-carrying mosquitoes since the 1970s in countries like Indonesia and Colombia, as well as in Singapore, Australia, and more recently, the United States, to help significantly curtail mosquitoes carrying diseases such as dengue.
Similar efforts are scaling up on a larger corporate level as well. Google’s parent company is currently seeking federal approval to launch a similar program in California and Florida, with plans to release 64 million sterile male mosquitoes.
What you can do:
While biological releases offer a solution, experts emphasize that individual action remains critical in managing local mosquito populations.
The single most effective step homeowners can take is eliminating any standing water around their property, as a container as small as a bottle cap can hold up to 1,000 mosquito larvae.
The Source: This information is from FOX 5 DC reporting.