Orange County Uses Drones for Mosquito Eradication to Protect Endangered Species

The recent rains in Southern California caused a major spike in the mosquito population especially in the marshy areas. Orange County (county level) in the state, trying to eradicate it in a way that is not too invasive so as not to harm endangered species.

Orange County deployed drones in an effort to eradicate mosquitoes and the diseases they spread to humans. The tiny robotic planes are used for surveillance and for dropping liquid larvacide or larvacide in swamps, wetlands, large ponds and parks.

“The rain is causing the mosquito population to spike. You can see here almost every swamp pond is full of water. That’s because of the rain. The rainfall we’ve had this season has been very high,” said John Savage, drone operator for the Orange County Mosquito Control Agency.

Mosquitoes develop from eggs laid by their parents in stagnant water. Larvicide is very effective in eradicating the larvae before they turn into mosquitoes.

Traditional mosquito eradication methods involve people, vehicles, airplanes and helicopters. This method is less effective and risks damaging sensitive lands. Drones are increasingly becoming an option because they can spread larvicides more accurately and allow for better surveillance.

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Operator Mosquito Killer Drones must hold a long distance pilot license from the US Federal Aviation Administration and the California Department of Pesticide Control.

Kiet Nguyen, an ecologist, welcomes the use of drones because they are more environmentally friendly. Drones, he said, do no harm to endangered bird species. “So drones are very non-invasive. Drones can be flown at altitudes that exceed bird nesting sites,” he commented.

Mosquito-borne diseases have long been recognized as a public health threat, and this concern has only increased recently.

The European Union’s disease prevention authority warned that climate change is increasing the risk of viral diseases spread by mosquitoes.

READ ALSO: After Decades of Disappearance, Malaria Cases Reappear in the US

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported five cases of mosquito-borne malaria in Florida and Texas, marking the first localized outbreaks in 20 years.

In California, West Nile virus is the most common and serious mosquito-borne disease. The state Department of Public Health says there have been more than 7,500 cases of the disease and more than 300 resulting deaths since 2003.

West Nile is not the only threat. California Public Health Authorities warned that the state remains vulnerable to the introduction of other highly lethal viruses including dengue, Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever. [ab/uh]

2023-06-29 18:26:38
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