Batesville, In. — Indiana is now one of 20 states in the country that the Environmental Protection Agency has approved the use of “Weaponized Mosquitoes.” Lexington, Kentucky-based MosquitoMate® received approval for the insects infected with a biopesticide on November 3.
The male mosquitoes infected with the Walbachia bacteria. When the infected males mate with an uninfected female, the females produce eggs that don’t hatch.
Company officials say the sale of the insects could begin by summer for mosquito control for homeowner associations, municipalities or individual homeowners. Based on field trials officials say the infected male mosquitoes do not bite.
The 19 other approved states are California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and West Virginia, as well as Washington, DC.
Lab-produced mosquitoes have been successfully used in China and Brazil.
