FKMCD-Oxitec Mosquito Project Launches Final Phase of 2023 Project Season
Media Advisory
July 3, 2023
FKMCD-Oxitec Mosquito Project Progresses to Final Phase of 2023 Project Season
Marathon, FL: Following the launch of the 2023 FKMCD-Oxitec Mosquito Project season, Oxitec’s non-biting male mosquitoes began to emerge from our just-add-water boxes on Vaca Key.
This is the third season of pilot deployments of Oxitec’s proven and sustainable solution for controlling the invasive Aedes aegypti mosquito. The FKMCD-Oxitec Mosquito Project is a public-private partnership focused on assessing and enabling future access to this technology for Aedes aegypti-threatened local governments and communities across the U.S.
Volunteer residents on Vaca Key taking part in the FKMCD-Oxitec Mosquito Project are hosting our new PRO box designs and - during this new phase of the 2023 season - Oxitec’s new MINI just-add-water box is being piloted in the U.S. for the first time. The MINI is a smaller, single-use, recyclable product that is designed for individual households and small businesses.
Locations for the final phase of the 2023 project remain unchanged from project launch with just-add-water mosquito boxes on private property of volunteer residents on Vaca Key, with mosquito populations also monitored on additional untreated comparison sites at other locations on Vaca Key and on Key Colony Beach.
-ENDS-
Press Inquiries:
Florida Keys Mosquito Control District
Chad Huff, Public Education & Information Officer
O: 305-292-7190
C: 305-481-2207
Oxitec
+1-202-792-3080
Additional resources:
The U.S. EPA’s approval of and complete risk assessment of the pilot project;
The U.S. EPA’s responses to public comments;
100+ independent peer-reviewed scientific publications on Oxitec technology;
Oxitec’s announcement of pilot results in Brazil;
About Oxitec
Oxitec is the leading developer of biological solutions to control pests that transmit disease, destroy crops and harm livestock. Founded in 2002 at the University of Oxford, Oxitec is led by a passionate team comprised of 15 nationalities and is supported by world-class public, private and non-profit partners.
Learn more at oxitec.com.