An additional tool for innovative mosquito control.

The Sterile Male Mosquito Program or Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is an insecticide-free method used to reduce harmful mosquito populations. This method disrupts the normal mating of mosquitoes by introducing sterile male mosquitoes into a wild  population.  Sterilized males mate with the wild female mosquito population and as a result, the mosquito population can be reduced.

Northshore Release

In Summer 2026, our team will begin releasing sterile male mosquitoes in the community of Northshore in the Eastern Coachella Valley. Releases will happen for 16 weeks starting on June 3rd, 2026 and wrapping up on September 18, 2026. 

SIT works for three main reasons.

1. Only female mosquitoes bite. The female mosquito needs proteins from blood to produce eggs. 
2. Female mosquitoes are inseminated once in their lifetime. Meaning if they mate with a sterile male, they will never produce viable offspring. 
3. Mosquito species can only mate with the same species. The invasive mosquito species is the only species released and therefore, releases will not impact the ecosystem that is naturally in place

The Wolbachia Technique

This technique uses a type of bacteria called Wolbachia (wo-BAHK-ee-uh). Wolbachia is naturally found in more than 60% of insects — including butterflies, dragonflies, and moths.

 

SIT has been used to control pest populations for over 70 years. 

This method has had great success in saving US crops and even endangered mammals. For example, the Key deer is an endangered species that only live in the Florida Keys, USA. In 2016, wildlife specialists observed Key deer dying rather gruesome deaths by way of a screwworm fly. In response, sterile male screwworm flies were released on 13 keys over a period of months. After intensive surveillance and multiple SIT releases, successful eradication of the screwworm fly was declared six months later.

SIT has also been used regularly here in California agriculture since the 1990s to protect crops from fruit flies. A 2014 study from the department of agriculture reported a 98% decrease in outbreaks by using this form of pesticide. This process is being classified by the state of California as a pesticide because it does in fact kill off pests although no chemicals are released into the environment.

You may see more mosquitoes — but they won’t bite.

After each release, residents might notice more mosquitoes in the air. These are male mosquitoes only. Male mosquitoes do not bite or spread diseases.

You’ll see more of our team in the neighborhood.

District staff will be active in the area. You might see us:

• Placing and checking traps
• Talking to residents
• Monitoring mosquito and disease activity

Our staff are only in the community for mosquito work. We are not connected or report to city, immigration, or law enforcement agencies.