The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has received a renewal request from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture for an emergency exemption to use the pesticide DQB Males, which involves a strain of Wolbachia pipientis bacteria in male mosquitoes, to control mosquito populations spreading avian malaria in Hawaii. This exemption, meant for wildlife conservation areas, aims to help save endangered Hawaiian forest birds threatened by avian malaria. Public comments are invited on this potential new use of a pesticide not previously registered by the EPA before a decision is made. The application includes a plan for multiple releases of a significant number of mosquitoes treated with the bacteria throughout the year.
Simple Explanation
The EPA is thinking about letting Hawaii use special mosquitoes with a type of bacteria to stop other mosquitoes from making birds sick, and they want to know what people think about it.