Why Your Summer's Biggest Enemy is Actually Your Frenemy

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Bryan E. Reynolds/www.bryanreynoldsphoto.com


When thinking about nuisance species, like rats and cockroaches, the majority of the world’s population are disgusted by them, but there is definitely a portion of the population that have a soft spot for these species. However, I think mosquitoes might be the one nuisance species that truly no one likes. There are an estimated 4,000 species of mosquitoes and they inhabit every continent, except Antarctica. They seem to be an unneeded species that only bring frustration and annoyance to everyone around the world.
Surprisingly enough, mosquitoes play some pivotal roles in the ecosystem. Mosquitoes provide a huge portion of diets for many species, including spiders, multiple birds, and fish species, as well as many others. Mosquitoes also do a great deal of pollinating for numerous plant species; they are most well-known for pollinating orchids. It is kind of crazy that something seen as such a nuisance helps produce such a unique and beautiful flower. Not all mosquitoes bite, it is actually only the females that do. The females need a protein found in blood to help produce their eggs, therefore since the males are not producing eggs their only food source is nectar. Since male males rely solely on nectar as their food source, they end up pollinating plants while also enjoying their meal.
.thesun.co.uk/news/4535169
Even though mosquitoes are extremely valuable to many species diets and are important pollinators, they have helped further medical research. When a mosquito bites you, you often do not feel it, this is because their saliva anesthetizes your skin. Due to this, mosquitoes have been often studied and their saliva has been of great use in creating many anesthetics. But with that being said, mosquitoes can also cause many issues.
Plain and simple, mosquito bites are not fun. They can itch like crazy, can become a big ugly red bump, and they will even bleed sometimes. Mosquito bites are quite an annoyance, but the real issue is that they have the potential to spread disease through their bites. Mosquitoes have been known to spread some scary diseases, such as zika, dengue fever, filariasis and many more. It is important to note that not all species of mosquitoes carry and/or transmit all diseases. In fact, only about 100 out of 4,000 species transmit diseases, and to narrow that even further, not all those species target humans. Even with all they do mosquitoes are a nuisance and are a common conflict experienced by people all around the world. Many people want to find a solution for all the frustration mosquitoes cause, and the most common idea brought up is complete eradication of all mosquito species.
        The eradication of all mosquitoes is currently a very controversial topic. Many people believe this is the best option to solve all our mosquito issues. Those who support the idea of eradication believe that the animals who rely on mosquitoes as part of their diet will simply adjust their diet accordingly. They also believe that the pollination mosquitoes provide will not be lost, but other species will make up for the lack of pollination. The idea of no more mosquitoes is glorious, however some argue that, while it sounds amazing, it may cause some unknown effects to the ecosystem.  The species relying on mosquitoes for their diet, may adjust, but they may in fact experience a significant drop in population numbers to not only their own species, but other species by taking away their food source which can decrease the other species population size. Pollination of plants is incredibly important, and losing mosquitoes could produce a huge decrease in plant species. Loss of pollinators could not only directly affect the plants they pollinate, but indirectly affect others as well. Critics of eradication think it could ultimately affect our food sources in a drastic way. They believe the idea that other species will simply pick up “the slack” is wishful thinking, and species will be unaware that mosquitoes have been eradicated and that there is a greater need for their pollination of plants.
We want to hear what you think! Answer the poll on the left about whether you agree or disagree with eradicating all mosquitoes!!!

Comments

  1. UnknownDecember 12, 2017 at 8:58 AM

    Bees are such a necessary evil. I hate being stung but they are so helpful for the environment

    ReplyDelete

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