Posted on 03/11/2016 11:26:51 AM PST by Ray76
The release of genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys cleared a significant hurdle Friday when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced they pose no significant environmental danger.
The preliminary findings, to be published in the Federal Register, will be open for public comment for the next 30 days. But the initial federal review likely clears the way for a long-delayed field trial by British producer Oxitec in the tiny affluent neighborhood of Key Haven a mile east of Key West.
Pitched as a safer, more affordable way of battling Oxitec’s modified male mosquitoes are engineered to produce offspring with a kill-switch, or defective gene that kills them. The offspring also bear a florescent marker gene so larvae can be identified when inspectors conduct mosquito counts and gauge the progress of the program.
(Excerpt) Read more at miamiherald.com ...
I don’t think there has been a Japanese monster movie with giant genetically mutated mosquitoes yet.
“Professor, what is that buzzing sound?” “I do not know, let us go outside to look”. “Aaaaargh! Owwww! RUN!”
I thought that Brazilian authorities were investigating the possibility that genetically modified mosquitoes had a role in the spread of the zika virus.
I can remember at least two kinds of mosquitos in south Florida. And lots of both.
Well it is a swamp. Friend of mine when he was a kid on family vacation hit (got hit by) a swarm so bad he wound up in the hospital. Not sure if they sucked him dry (unlikely, but funny) or it was the histamine reaction to so many bites (more likely, less entertaining). Either way, serious pest animal.
“This is how the Zombie apocalypse begins...”
Of course it is. It may sound “funny” but it is man trying to be god and it never ends well as history proves.
This deformation of nature will be a Mary Shelley nightmare.....they should not be able to practice their voodoo/ guinea pig “science” on us.
That is what it is——using us as guinea pigs. We are total slaves to this state now.
We found a lost Doberman that had it’s ears nearly destroyed by bites. We also had weather events that blew the little Haitian bastards to Florida. We’d lean on planes and see these little suckers attack the sweaty spots. This was in the days AIDS and gay Haitian junkies. Made some folks nervous.
or credit card
When are we going to move the Constitution into the Smithsonian?
So depressing.
My daughter is allergic to the bites and gets giant huge hives from each one. Once she got her eye swollen shut for a day (age 3).
Uhhhh...we just might be already there with the Zika situation and the deformities it causes. Why are they still messin' with Mother Nature? Payback's a *itch
“I thought that Brazilian authorities were investigating the possibility that genetically modified mosquitoes had a role in the spread of the zika virus. “
I saw that report also. They were introduced to fight a different problem, and Zika exploded.
Lots of fear-mongering here.
The “toxic male” approach to pest control was tried some time ago with fruit flies a decade ago and it was an enormous success.
These modified male bugs dies out and so do their offspring. The gene doesn’t propogate.
Nature always finds a way. Even mules are known to reproduce.
Way back in the 40s or 50s the screw worm (screw fly) plague was eliminated using something similar. Male flies were sterilized then released by the millions.
It was a total success. I would love for them to do the same with mosquitoes.
Watch for more and different mosquito borne viruses.
The ones that buzz don’t bite. The ones that bite make no sound.
So if you don’t hear anything, you should call in the ..um.. SWAT team.
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