Operation Big Buzz

Operation Big Buzz was a U.S. military entomological warfare field test conducted in the U.S. state of Georgia in 1955. The tests involved dispersing over 300,000 yellow fever mosquitoes from aircraft and through ground dispersal methods.

Operation

Operation Big Buzz occurred in May 1955 in the U.S. State of Georgia. The operation was a field test designed to determine the feasibility of producing, storing, loading into munitions, and dispersing from aircraft the yellow fever mosquito (though these were not infected for the test) (Aedes aegypti).^[1] The second goal of the operation was to determine whether the mosquitoes would survive their dispersion and seek meals on the ground.^[1] Around 330,000 uninfected mosquitoes were dropped from aircraft in E14 bombs and dispersed from the ground. In total about one million female mosquitoes were bred for the testing;^[2] remaining mosquitoes were used in munitions loading and storage tests.^[1] Those mosquitoes that were air-dispersed were dropped from airplanes 300 feet (91 m) above the ground, spreading out on their own and due to the wind.^[1]

Results

Mosquitoes were collected as far away as 2,000 feet (610 m) from the release site.^[1] They were also active in seeking blood meals from humans and guinea pigs.^[1]

See also

• Operation Big Itch
• Operation Drop Kick
• Operation May Day

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Rose, William H. "An Evaluation of Entomological Warfare as as Potential Danger to the United States and European NATO Nations", U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command, Dugway Proving Ground, March 1981, via thesmokinggun.com, accessed December 27, 2008.
2. ^ Novick, Lloyd and Marr, John S. Public Health Issues Disaster Preparedness, (Google Books), Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2001, p. 89, (ISBN 0-7637-2500-5).