US Politics |OT|

[Shtinamin_]

Has anyone else heard of what California is doing to the mosquito infestation?

https://www.psu.edu/news/eberly-college-science/story/how-does-virus-hijack-insect-sperm-control-disease-vectors-and-pests/

It basically explains that they have started a new bio-ethical? way to stop pest populations from producing new generations. SIT, Sterile Insect Technique, is a bacteria Wolbachia and a virus that carries Wolbachia, that are put into male mosquitos. It enters their DNA and activates "genes — cifA and cifB — allow the bacteria to remarkably manipulate sperm and quickly spread through an insect population for their own good.” These sperm will enter the female and rendered as lethal to the egg, "succumbing [the egg] to death". The mosquito's sperm undergo a shape change from  canoe-like to a spear-like causing it to rendered lethal and inviable.
“'This shape change is incredibly important to the success of sperm, and any interference can impact the sperm’s ability to travel in the female reproductive tract and successfully fertilize the egg,' said Rupinder Kaur, assistant research professor of biology and entomology at Penn State and the other leader of the research team. 'The transition is highly conserved in almost everything from insects to humans.

Defects in this process can also cause male sterility in humans.'”

They have just started the process in the Sunland - Tujuguna areas of the Greater Los Angeles County Oct 12, 2023. And on May 2, 2024 until October 2024 they have been releasing SIT male mosquitos in the district. (Does that mean the Sunland - Tujuguna area, or all of the Greater Los Angeles County?)

https://www.glamosquito.org/pilot-program-launch-in-localized-areas-of-sunland-tujunga

So if you live there, I really do suggest staying away from the mosquitos, putting on mosquito repellent (DEET), and/or moving out of the area.