San Gabriel Valley Deploys Sterile Mosquito Army to Combat Disease-Carrying Insects

The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District is launching a groundbreaking biological warfare campaign against disease-carrying mosquitoes, deploying sterile male insects to infiltrate and collapse wild mosquito populations. The SGV Mosquito Match initiative marks the district’s first deployment of Sterile Insect Technique against invasive Aedes mosquitoes, commonly known as ‘ankle biters,’ which transmit dangerous diseases including dengue fever.

“The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District is proud to launch a new sustainable initiative: SGV Mosquito Match! This innovative program uses Sterile Insect Technique to help control populations of invasive Aedes mosquitoes (commonly known as ankle biters),” the district declared in its July 31 Short Bites monthly newsletter.

The program arrives as mosquito-borne diseases surge across the region. Baldwin Park recorded five locally acquired dengue fever cases during 2024, according to the LA County Department of Public Health. West Nile virus returned to the San Gabriel Valley in 2025, with the first seasonal detection confirmed in El Monte this July.

“West Nile virus is a recurring concern in our region. It’s endemic to the San Gabriel Valley, meaning we expect to detect it every year in mosquitoes, birds, and occasionally humans. The key to staying protected is avoiding mosquito bites,” warned Tristan Hallum, Director of Scientific Programs, in a July 29 public health advisory.

The district will unleash its sterile mosquito battalions beginning in the summer of 2026 in Bassett, California. The 16-week assault will deploy releases twice weekly, representing the district’s inaugural application of Sterile Insect Technique specifically targeting Aedes aegypti control.

The biological weapon of choice: EPA-registered WB1 Males, classified as pesticide product 89668-8. MosquitoMate company engineers these sterile male mosquitoes using the Wolbachia pipientis wAlbB strain. The strategy exploits reproductive biology—sterile males mate with wild females, producing eggs that fail to develop, systematically decimating mosquito populations.

Federal regulators have endorsed this innovative approach. MosquitoMate secured the first-ever Vector Expedited Review Voucher from the EPA in December 2024, according to PR Newswire, fast-tracking the technology’s deployment.

District officials have mobilized comprehensive countermeasures against mosquito-borne threats.

“The District has acted as quickly as possible to enhance surveillance, mosquito education, and perform mosquito control in the area. The District will continue its surveillance and control efforts, including additional backpack and truck-mounted mosquito treatments to reduce adult mosquito populations and mosquito breeding sources,” declared Jason Farned, District Manager in September following the Baldwin Park dengue outbreak.

Public health officials stress that prevention remains paramount given limited treatment options. “There is no vaccine or cure for West Nile virus in humans. The best method of protection is prevention,” Hallum emphasized in district health guidance.

The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District, celebrating 35 years of operations in 2024, continues evolving its arsenal against public health threats. The agency has demonstrated rapid-response capabilities during emergencies. Following the Eaton Fire, Farned highlighted the critical importance of eliminating breeding sites: “Each untreated pool can produce thousands of mosquitoes every week. With the help of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, our partner agencies, and the tireless dedication of our team, we are now able to treat every non-functional pool in the burn area,” he reported on June 5, 2025.

The SGV Mosquito Match program represents a quantum leap in the district’s mosquito control capabilities, the district said, delivering a sustainable and precisely targeted biological solution to reduce disease-carrying mosquito populations throughout the San Gabriel Valley region.