Saying goodbye to mosquitoes the eco-friendly way

Have you ever been on holiday having the time of your life only to have it ruined by itchy and painful mosquito bites? Not only do they leave bumps and rashes on that awesome tan you’ve been working on, mosquito bites carry the risk of diseases such as dengue fever.

At Summer Island Maldives, we take the health and well-being of our guests seriously. That is why we have started a cutting-edge initiative to kill all of the mosquitoes on the island. How is this cutting edge you ask? It is so because we are not using traditional pest eradication methods, such as harmful pesticides or fogging. We are doing it the eco-friendly way.

In March 2022, we deployed 42 mosquito traps around the island that release CO2 into the air, imitating the scent of human breathing. The mosquitoes are drawn to the trap and are sucked into it. An awareness campaign has also been run on the island about eliminating mosquito breeding sites. Guests and staff have learned to be vigilant about disposing of items, such as coconut shells, that might end up collecting still water, where mosquitoes can breed.

Why go through all this trouble you may wonder? Mosquitoes are often referred to as the deadliest animal in the world. They spread more harmful diseases than any other known species. While malaria is very uncommon in the Maldives, the country does have seasonal outbreaks of dengue. This disease can now be prevented by the new method of eradicating the mosquito population.

So next time you visit Summer Island Maldives, see if you can spot the mosquito traps deployed discreetly around the island. And enjoy the beautiful dragonfly and butterfly populations that are already rebounding as a result of discontinuing the use of fogging.