In Washington, a War on the Hum That Never Stops

There is a quiet, persistent hum in Washington summers—a sound so familiar it becomes background noise, until a bite reminds you it is not merely ambiance. Mosquitoes and ticks are among the deadliest animals in the world, carrying diseases that impose growing health and economic burdens on the American public . This week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to wage a campaign against these pests, aiming to reduce invasive mosquito populations by 90 percent and tick populations by 50 percent in the nation's capital by 2028 .

The order directs the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the EPA Administrator, and the General Services Administrator, along with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to develop and implement the campaign within 60 days. The methods are to be "safe and effective, non-chemical, and technology-enabled"—a significant departure from traditional pesticide-based approaches . Specific strategies include remediating breeding grounds on federal lands through landscaping and drainage improvements, reducing host populations such as rodents and deer, and deploying advanced technologies like sterile insect techniques .

The Asian tiger mosquito and Egyptian mosquito have become the dominant species in some areas of D.C., spreading disease and diminishing quality of life . The tick population's expansion has also brought new health risks, including alpha-gal syndrome, a serious allergy to red meat that develops after a tick bite. The order directs the Department of Health and Human Services to explore options for labeling food and drug products containing significant amounts of alpha-galactose, similar to other allergy warnings .

The campaign is framed as a model for nationwide application. "This new model, localized to Washington, D.C., can later be applied nationwide as targeted, innovative, non-chemical pest control for the whole nation," the White House fact sheet states . The order builds on the existing Lyme Disease Moonshot initiative and calls for additional research and development programs to prevent and treat tick- and mosquito-borne diseases .

The EPA is directed to submit a regulatory framework for the planned development and release of advanced tick and mosquito control technologies, considering sterilization techniques, safe genetic modification, and beneficial bacteria . Prize competitions are also encouraged to spur innovation in non-chemical pest control methods.

For residents of Washington, the order promises a future where the city's parks, waterways, and outdoor spaces can be enjoyed without the constant threat of disease-carrying pests. Whether the ambitious targets—90 percent reduction in two years—can be met without chemical pesticides will be watched closely by public health experts and environmental scientists alike.

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Sources: The White House, The Washington Post