--- description: Scientists could release millions of genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida in an attempt to kill off insects that spread disease title: Millions of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Could Be Released in Florida image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltca7f5d62c35af780/69877bc3428a9e5b59cc6c48/mosquitoes-florida.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Science](/section/science/) ## Science Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [animals](/tag/animals/) ## animals Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Millions of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Could Be Released in Florida  by [Justin Worland](/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Senior Correspondent Jan 25, 2015 9:41 PM CUT  Jason Garcia, a field inspector with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, tests a sprayer that could be used in the future to spray pesticides to control mosquitos in Key West, Fla., on Oct. 4, 2012 Jason Garcia, a field inspector with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, tests a sprayer that could be used in the future to spray pesticides to control mosquitos in Key West, Fla., on Oct. 4, 2012Wilfredo Lee—AP  by [Justin Worland](/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Senior Correspondent Jan 25, 2015 9:41 PM CUT Scientists could [release millions of genetically modified mosquitoes](http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-gmo-mosquitoes-florida-keys-20150125-story.html "undefined") in the Florida Keys in an attempt to kill off insects that spread the diseases dengue and chikungunya — if their proposal wins regulatory approval. The male mosquitoes, created by British biotech firm Oxitec, are engineered to keep their partners from producing offspring when they mate in the wild, the _Sun Sentinel_ reports. The number of mosquitoes capable of spreading the diseases would be reduced if enough wild mosquitoes mate with the genetically modified population. “This is essentially using a mosquito as a drug to cure disease,” Michael Doyle, executive director of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, told the _Sun Sentinel_. Despite the benefits of reducing incidences of dengue and chikungunya, two viral diseases that cause a number of uncomfortable conditions, many are wary about releasing genetically modified organisms into the wild. More than 130,000 people have signed a Change.org petition opposing the release of the mosquitoes in the Florida Keys. \[[_Sun Sentinel_](http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-gmo-mosquitoes-florida-keys-20150125-story.html "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3681770/gmo-mosquito-florida/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3681770/gmo-mosquito-florida/"},"headline":"Millions of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Could Be Released in Florida","datePublished":"2015-01-25T21:41:12.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T03:51:38.125Z","description":"\"This is essentially using a mosquito as a drug to cure disease\"","url":"https://time.com/3681770/gmo-mosquito-florida/","keywords":["animals","Disease","Florida","health"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltca7f5d62c35af780/69877bc3428a9e5b59cc6c48/mosquitoes-florida.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Justin Worland","jobTitle":"Senior Correspondent","url":"https://time.com/author/justin-worland/"}],"articleSection":"Science","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltca7f5d62c35af780/69877bc3428a9e5b59cc6c48/mosquitoes-florida.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Jason Garcia","caption":"Jason Garcia","creditText":"Wilfredo Lee—AP","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/science/","name":"Science"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/animals/","name":"animals"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3681770/gmo-mosquito-florida/","name":"Millions of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Could Be Released in Florida"}}]}] ```