Sterile mosquito control in McKinney

Biological mosquito control for McKinney homes and master-planned communities, from Towne Lake to the creeks.

SMF serves McKinney homes and communities with sterile male mosquito releases: biological control, chemical-free and safe for families, pets and pollinators. It pairs with the city's early-season larviciding and trapping by working on the daytime biters in yards.

SMF's releases target the biters in yards by day and at dusk (Asian tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes). They don't affect night-biting mosquitoes.

McKinney lives outdoors, from evenings at Towne Lake, with its 22-acre lake and fishing pier, to backyards near the creeks and trails that link the city's parks. Master-planned communities such as Craig Ranch are built around green space, with the 233-acre TPC Craig Ranch golf course at their center. Those creeks, ponds and shady yards are where the daytime biters breed, in gutters, drains and dense plantings.

McKinney's mosquito technicians start early. They larvicide standing water from March, set traps around the city from May and test what they catch. When a pool tests positive, the city sprays overnight within a half-mile to one-mile radius and posts maps online. Residents who'd rather it didn't happen near their home can contact the city's Health Compliance office; McKinneyTexas.org/MosquitoControl lists the current contact.

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Four steps to fewer mosquitoes

1 Raise and sort We raise mosquitoes and remove the females, using AI vision from our technology partner, Senecio. Only males move on.

2 Sterilize We sterilize the males with X-rays in-house, the last step before they leave our facility.

3 Release A release plate arrives twice a month in the warm months and one a month in winter. Follow the instructions and open it in your yard. It takes about a minute.

4 Enjoy You should start to feel the difference within 7 to 14 days.

Why it works: wild females mate once. When one mates with a sterile male, her eggs don't hatch. Each generation is smaller than the last, until the population collapses. How it works →

Males don't bite, and they're not genetically modified.¹ Regulation details, with sources, are on our safety page. Safety and regulation →

1. CDC, "Irradiated mosquitoes," cdc.gov, May 14, 2024.

What public programs have measured

Evidence for the method, not SMF's own results.

Six weeks in Texas 93% fewer wild female mosquitoes after six weeks in a Harris County, Texas study (related method).¹

First phase in Florida 79% fewer adult mosquitoes and 59% fewer eggs in the first release phase, compared with an untreated island.²

A district in California 44% / 65% fewer female mosquitoes: 44% with sterile males alone, 65% combined with larvicide stations.³

1. CDC and Harris County Public Health, Wolbachia method. Lozano et al., PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2022. 2. Lee County Mosquito Control District, Captiva Island, Florida. Phase 1 only. Morreale et al., PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2025. 3. West Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District, California, 2024. Birhanie et al., Insects, 2025.

See the research

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What we do here: For homeowners → Commercial programs → Cities and districts →

FAQ: McKinney

Is sterile male control safe for McKinney gardens and pets?

Yes. Nothing is applied to lawns, vegetable beds or ponds, so you can pick tomatoes the same day, and the males don't bite.

When is mosquito season in McKinney?

The city's own calendar is a good guide: larviciding starts in March and trapping in May, and activity runs into fall. Our releases run all year, slowing to one plate a month in winter.

When should McKinney homeowners start a mosquito program?

Any time. Programs run year-round, so the best start is now, and starting before populations build in late spring gives the program a head start.

Do you work with McKinney HOAs, master-planned communities and golf courses?

Yes. Community-wide programs cover common areas, ponds and trails, and they make every yard work better. HOA programs → · Golf course programs →

Nearby: Plano →Frisco →

All of Dallas-Fort Worth →

Ready for evenings outside again?

Tell us about your yard. We'll reply within one business day.

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