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Mosquito district plans targeted Wolbachia male releases in Parlier neighborhood; district says program can reduce Aedes aegypti
Summary
The Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District will run a targeted program releasing Wolbachia‑infected male Aedes aegypti in a Parlier neighborhood, with weekly monitoring and bilingual outreach; the district said trials in Fresno and Clovis achieved over 98% reduction in release areas.
Jody Holman, district manager for the Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District, told the Parlier City Council Thursday that the district plans a targeted release of Wolbachia‑infected male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in one Parlier neighborhood.
Holman said the district previously ran experimental trials under federal and state research authorizations and later obtained registration of Wolbachia‑infected males as a biological pesticide from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. She said prior trials in Clovis and Fresno achieved more than a 98% reduction of Aedes aegypti in the release areas.
Program design and safeguards: Holman described the sterile‑insect technique and emphasized safety: “male mosquitoes do not bite,” she said, and Wolbachia is a naturally occurring bacterium already present in many insects. The district plans twice‑weekly releases of 15,000 infected males (30,000 per week) during an initial 16‑week release period (June through October), with weekly trap monitoring and data‑driven adjustments. She said releases could stop earlier if monitoring shows the target female population is eliminated.
Target area and outreach: The district identified the release area as the neighborhood north of Manning and south of Tuolumne between Madsen and Orritt Avenue, citing historical trap data that show Aedes aegypti is established there and natural barriers that limit mosquito movement. Holman said staff are conducting door‑to‑door outreach, leaving bilingual door hangers where residents are not home, and distributing brochures and video materials in English and Spanish. The district plans neighborhood monitoring traps, can respond to resident calls for inspections and will post city outreach materials and a QR code directing residents to program details.
Supplemental measures and monitoring: Holman said the district may pair the releases with targeted wide‑area larvicide spraying early in the season to lower immature populations but will make those decisions based on trap counts and disease risk. She emphasized that the district will be accessible to residents and intends to adapt tactics based on collected data.
Ending: Holman left brochures and contact information with city staff and asked that city calls about the program be directed to the district so staff can answer technical questions or schedule inspections.
