What is sterile insect technique (SIT) and how does it reduce mosquito populations?

What is sterile insect technique (SIT) and how does it reduce mosquito populations?

• A. SIT releases sterile females to attract predators.
• B. SIT releases sterile males that mate with wild females resulting in no offspring, reducing population over time.
• C. SIT releases fertile males to increase competition.
• D. SIT uses chemical sterilization of larvae to kill them before reaching adulthood.

Answer: (B)

Sterile insect technique works by releasing large numbers of sterile males into the wild. These males are sterilized—usually by irradiation—so when they mate with wild females, the eggs aren’t fertilized and no offspring hatch. Each mating with a sterile male reduces the number of young that would grow into adults, so with enough sterile males in the environment, the population declines over time. For this to work well, the sterile males must compete effectively with wild males for mates, and we release only males to avoid increasing biting or disease risk from females. This approach isn’t about killing larvae in the field or releasing fertile insects; it hinges on sexually sterilized males preventing successful reproduction.

Sterile insect technique works by releasing large numbers of sterile males into the wild. These males are sterilized—usually by irradiation—so when they mate with wild females, the eggs aren’t fertilized and no offspring hatch. Each mating with a sterile male reduces the number of young that would grow into adults, so with enough sterile males in the environment, the population declines over time. For this to work well, the sterile males must compete effectively with wild males for mates, and we release only males to avoid increasing biting or disease risk from females. This approach isn’t about killing larvae in the field or releasing fertile insects; it hinges on sexually sterilized males preventing successful reproduction.