New Scientific Discovery Could Help the Future of Pest Control
The future of pest control is becoming the present. The Brevard County pest control experts at Apex are on the cutting edge of many advancements and discoveries, including one recently unearthed by scientists at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. Led by researcher Joanne Yew, the team discovered a gene within vinegar flies that regulates the pest’s waterproof coating. When this gene was removed in the lab, the fly’s life spans were reduced by as much as 50 percent.
One of the mechanisms of this gene is to allow flies to stick to a surface, and when removed, the flies can no longer do so. Hence, the newly discovered gene was nicknamed “spidey” by the team, in homage to the legendary comic book character’s ability to stick to walls himself. With the spidey gene removed, Yew’s team proved they could control a population, which decimates major agriculture in a number of climates, completely without the use of any kind of physical pesticide.
The team at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa plans to now try a similar technique on other pests, such as the Zika-carrying mosquitoes and Mediterranean fruit flies. Yew said that “We did this work in vinegar flies, which is a major model organism. From here, perhaps we can bridge to pest species.” This type of research can take time; Yew estimates at least four years before any further work will be completed on mosquitoes and others. It would also be a while until proper governmental protocols could gain approval, as well as developing a reasonable plan to use this research as an alternative pest control solution.
However, it is these types of revolutionary genetic techniques that hold the future of pest control. And the Brevard County pest control experts at Apex stay alert of all developing methods and research that can assist in the pest battle. As new systems become available, we will be on the frontline for any useful way to make your home and yard less vulnerable to Florida’s always burgeoning pest population. For more information, feel free to call 866-675-4070.
