Effort to control mosquito population expands from Kauai to Maui

HONOLULU (KHON2) — A program aimed at controlling the mosquito population on Kauai will soon extend to Maui, according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Since last fall, a helicopter has been dispersing a bacterium in native forests on Kauai, where it targets mosquito larvae that threaten the survival of near-extinct Hawaiian birds.

The bacterium functions as a form of birth control for mosquitoes that carry avian malaria, which has been detrimental to the native bird species.

Officials assure that the bacterium is safe for other animals, including humans.

Dr. Lisa ‘Cali’ Crampton, the Kauai Forest Bird Recovery Project Manager, explained that the bacterium, when ingested by mosquito larvae, disrupts their digestive systems, causing them to die.

“It’s a very specific biolarvicide that targets only mosquito larvae and a small group of insects known as midges,” Crampton said. “Its precise chemistry ensures it does not impact other insects or vertebrates like fish, birds, pets, or humans, even if they come into contact with treated water.”

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The bacterium’s use is slated to commence on Maui next year, expanding the initiative’s reach in the effort to protect Hawaii’s endangered bird species.