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Killing mosquitoes can be an essential life skill in Singapore, but before we’re too happy, it’s worth noting that they are not all pests.
It turns out that the woman, who recently made headlines for killing 323 mosquitoes in a month and collecting their carcasses in meticulously labeled Ziploc bags, may have killed the Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes that fight dengue, according to a National Agency statement. of Environment. (NEA).
The woman, identified only as Jen, first approached Stomp on December 7 to complain about the number of mosquitoes around her mother’s apartment in Block 509 Tampines Central 1.
The problem had started in October, he said, adding that mosquitoes were affecting his family’s quality of life by flying around them and occasionally biting them.
He also suggested that a nearby “overgrown tree” be cut down, as he suspected it was a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Jen then turned to “hourly kills” with electric fly swatters to get rid of the mosquitoes.
Unfortunately, it may have killed more than a few Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes, which are specially bred and released by NEA as part of the Wolbachia Project, an effort to reduce the number of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that cause dengue.
The idea of the project is for male Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes to mate with female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The latter then lay eggs that do not hatch, effectively suppressing their number.
Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes are essentially harmless as they do not bite or transmit any disease.
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Responding to media inquiries, NEA explained that Jen’s block is within the Tampines East constituency, where Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes have been released since February.
“We understand the discomfort experienced by some residents in the Wolbachia Project areas, when male mosquitoes choose to swarm around a certain area, as experienced by the information provider.”
There has been an “overall reduction” in the dengue mosquito population, but the release of more Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes is needed to achieve a 90 percent suppression of the Aedes aegypti mosquito population and prevent large outbreaks of dengue, said the statutory board.
[[nid:502102]]However, the Wolbachia Project team will work to minimize swarming by modifying the distribution of their launches, NEA said.
The NEA also warned that residents of the area may see an influx of mosquitoes on Monday and Friday mornings, which is when releases normally take place.
He also confirmed that his officials had found two mosquito breeding habitats in the area on Nov. 24 and Dec. 8, and urged residents to be vigilant and remove all sources of standing water in their homes.
NEA is in contact with Jen and is working with her to obtain mosquito samples to further investigate the matter, her spokesperson added.
In response to Stomp’s inquiries, the Tampines City Council said it has arranged to prune the tree near Jen’s home. It will continue to work closely with NEA on the release of male mosquitoes, he added.
Speaking to Stomp again on December 21, Jen expressed her approval, saying, “I am very happy that the tree is being pruned. I hope this helps with the mosquito problem.”
