Alicante’s mosquito makeover: Sterile swarms to combat summer pests

In 2025, the province of Alicante is expected to see the release of hundreds of thousands of sterile tiger mosquitoes in an effort to curb their population.

The Valencian Government plans to expand the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) to Alicante after successful trials in municipalities across Valencia and Castellón.

Tackling Mosquitos

This method, which has been in use since 2016, aims to tackle the invasive tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), notorious for its aggressive summer bites and potential to spread diseases such as Zika, dengue, and chikungunya.

The SIT involves breeding large numbers of male mosquitoes in specialised facilities and sterilising them through irradiation.

These males, which do not bite, are then released into the environment.

When they mate with females, the females’ eggs fail to develop, reducing the overall mosquito population.

Positive Trials

Trials have shown that in some towns, this method has reduced tiger mosquito numbers by up to 80 per cent.

This initiative aims to significantly lower the nuisance of mosquito bites and the risk of disease transmission across the region.

This summer, the regional ministry began releasing 1.3 million sterile male tiger mosquitoes in the Viveros gardens of Valencia, deploying about 45,000 mosquitoes per week until the end of the year.

Expanding the Treatment

Over the past four years, the treated area in the Valencian Community has expanded significantly, growing from 45 hectares to 177 hectares.

Despite this progress, Alicante has not yet been included in this initiative.

However, with the planned expansion of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) to Alicante in 2025, the province is expected to benefit from this effective population control method.

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