The Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District is set to launch a new program in Livermore to reduce the area’s population of the invasive mosquito species, Aedes aegypti.
Known as the yellow fever mosquito, these “aggressive daytime biters” can transmit diseases such as Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya and Yellow Fever, district officials said in a statement last week announcing the program.
To address the ongoing detections of Aedes aegypti, ACMAD plans to release bacteria-containing males that render eggs nonviable.
The naturally-occurring bacteria, Wolbachia, cannot be transmitted to people, pets, wildlife or the environment, district officials said. Additionally, male Aedes aegypti lack piercing mouthparts, making them incapable of biting and transmitting disease.
ACMAD plans the twice weekly release of Wolbachia male Aedes aegypti (WB1 Males) starting July 7 through October in a 25-acre area of Livermore that has not yet been selected.
“We know how Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can not only make outdoor activities unpleasant but they can also spread disease,” ACMAD General Manager Ryan Clausnitzer said in a statement. “WB1 male mosquitoes provide a safe, eco-friendly, and effective way to reduce invasive mosquito populations without disrupting daily life.”
The mosquitoes are produced by MosquitoMate and have been registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.
Leading up to the program launch, ACMAD first observed Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Pleasanton in 2024, according to district officials.
During the subsequent year, ACMAD found adult and larval Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in “several” communities within the Tri-Valley as well as in Fremont, they added.
Among the affected communities was Livermore, where ACMAD collected 300 adult mosquitoes and noted over 150 larval detections of Aedes aegypti across “multiple neighborhoods,” district officials said.
The district accessed under 40% of the affected areas’ yardage by the end of 2025.
In the coming days, ACMAD is set to select a final treatment area located within the approximate boundaries of N. Murrieta Boulevard, Olivina Avenue, Albatross Avenue and El Rancho Drive or the area along Charlotte Way and Cheryl Drive, ending a few blocks before South Vasco Road and East Avenue.
Both locations will be evaluated for their populations of the mosquito and “operational considerations”, district officials said.
As the production of nonviable eggs reduces the species’ local population over time, there will be less female Aedes aegypti capable of biting and a decreased risk of mosquito-borne disease transmission, according to ACMAD.
Wolbachia-based mosquito control has been used successfully for public health and conservation purposes in the U.S., Mexico, Brazil and Singapore, the district added.
“Based on the successful use of Wolbachia in other communities, the District believes this approach will be an effective way to reduce invasive Aedes aegypti populations in Livermore,” ACMAD Laboratory Director Eric Haas-Stapleton said in a statement. “However, this approach is not a standalone solution.”
The invasive mosquito can be reintroduced repeatedly, Haas-Stapleton explained.
He urged residents to eliminate standing water near their homes, as Aedes aegypti mosquitoes like to lay their eggs in small, hidden areas of standing water such as potted plants.
The insect’s eggs are also “highly resistant to drying out”, capable of surviving upward of six months without water, according to ACMAD officials.
The reduction program comes as part of the district’s integrated vector management program, a multifaceted strategy for managing mosquito populations with ecologically-sensitive and data-driven strategies, the district website states.
ACMAD also conducts door-to-door outreach and activities to eliminate standing water, according to district officials.
Residents of the program areas can expect to see ACMAD staff before and during the program outreach and mosquito control such as placing mosquito monitoring traps.
For more information about the program and the areas of release, visit the district website at www.mosquitoes.org.
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