A Safe Scientific Method for Humans
To tackle the invasion of the tiger mosquito, the municipality of Mions is springing into action with a technique that’s as surprising as it is innovative. Starting this spring and continuing until 2028, a total of 15 million male tiger mosquitoes will be released in various neighborhoods at a rate of 5 million per year. Yes, you read that right: fighting mosquitoes… with other mosquitoes! This is a response to a major problem in the Lyon metropolis, where this invasive insect has established itself, particularly in urban areas.
Behind this operation lies a well-established approach: the Sterile Insect Technique. The principle is simple on paper: only sterile males are released into the wild. Good news, it’s the females that bite, so there’s no risk of turning into a buffet!
This summer. These males will mate with wild females, but the eggs laid will not produce any offspring. Expected result: a gradual decrease in the tiger mosquito population in the affected areas.A strategy already tested elsewhere
While the method may come as a surprise, it addresses an escalating public health emergency. According to the Regional Health Agency, the region experienced an increase in cases of arboviruses in 2025, which are diseases transmitted by mosquitoes like dengue, chikungunya, and Zika. The tiger mosquito is therefore not just a summertime nuisance. It poses a genuine public health challenge, prompting communities to explore more targeted and sustainable solutions.
Mions is not an isolated laboratory but part of a national trend. Other cities like Montpellier or Brive-la-Gaillarde have already tried out this technique, with the support of the company Terratis.
Source : Le Progrès