The project is spearheaded by biotechnology firm Oxitec, which, among other things, specializes in biological pest control solutions.

"Oxitec's Friendly™ safe, non-biting male mosquitoes are designed to suppress local wild populations of disease-spreading mosquitoes," Oxitec's website states.

According to the company, the genetically modified mosquitoes have a "self-limiting gene," which ensures that when the  "Friendly™ mosquito males mate with wild females, their offspring inherit a copy of this gene."

The gene stops female offspring from maturing into adulthood, culling their reproducibility. However, male offspring carrying the gene will survive and pass those on to their offspring, the company said.

The company manufactures its genetically modified insects by injecting proprietary synthetic DNA into fresh mosquito eggs using microscopic needles, the Los Angeles Times reported.

After the eggs hatch into brown mosquito larvae, researchers conduct several tests to ascertain whether the genetic modifications were successfully embedded in the hatchlings, according to LA Times. The non-biting males are then released into the wild.

The Environmental Protection Agency published its approval for the insects' release on March 7. The permit applies only to Florida and California, where the company will release them within Florida's Monore county and California's Stanislaus, Fresno, Tulare and San Bernardino countries.

However, before the release, the Environmental Protection Agency requires Oxitec to obtain relevant permissions from state and local authorities.