Study to begin in Silkwood East

May 2017: The study will be a ‘Mark, release, recapture’ experiment, that will run for three weeks in areas of Silkwood East and allow us to test new technologies and study male mosquito behaviour.

What this involves:

1. Mark: Male mosquitoes are fed a red dye in the laboratory at James Cook University in Cairns (pictured top left).

2. Release: These mosquitoes are then released from a slow-moving vehicle, twice a week for three weeks (Fridays and Tuesdays, beginning Friday 19th May).

3. Recapture: A network of traps then recaptures the mosquitoes. Our team empties the traps every day during the three- week-release period. In the lab we can then track, how far the male mosquito has flown and in what time. We may also be able to see if he mated.

IMPORTANT: While some residents in Silkwood East may notice an increase in the number of mosquitoes directly after the release, these mosquitoes (being male) will not bite or pose any risk to residents.