The loathsome, lethal mosquito - Rose Eveleth

Summary

Mosquitoes, notorious for their buzzing, biting, and disease transmission, are among the most despised pests globally. These bloodsuckers, which have been around for over 100 million years, cause millions of deaths annually due to diseases like malaria and dengue. While humans invest billions in controlling them, eradicating mosquitoes is controversial. They play an important role in ecosystems as food for other species and pollinators. The uncertainty surrounding the ecological impact of their removal raises the question: should we risk eradicating them, or could something worse take their place?

Takeaways

• 😀 Mosquitoes are considered one of the worst pests due to their buzzing, biting, and the itching they cause.
• 😀 In Alaska, mosquito swarms are so dense that they can asphyxiate caribou.
• 😀 Mosquito-borne diseases kill millions of people each year, making mosquitoes a significant global health threat.
• 😀 Mosquitoes have existed for over a hundred million years and have coevolved with many species, including humans.
• 😀 There are thousands of species of mosquitoes, but they all share the common trait of feeding on blood.
• 😀 When a mosquito bites, it numbs the skin with saliva, causing the itching and redness that follow the bite.
• 😀 Mosquitoes use serrated mandibles to create a hole in the skin, then use their proboscis to find a blood vessel and drink up to 2-3 times their body weight in blood.
• 😀 Humans spend billions of dollars annually on mosquito repellents like citronella candles, bug sprays, and pesticides.
• 😀 In addition to being annoying, mosquitoes are responsible for spreading diseases like malaria, yellow fever, West Nile virus, and dengue.
• 😀 While some argue that mosquitoes are not essential to ecosystems and could be eliminated, no one knows for sure what impact this would have on other species or the environment.

Q & A

What makes mosquitoes so detested by people?

Mosquitoes are commonly hated due to their buzzing, biting, and the itching caused by their bites. They are one of the most annoying pests in the world.

What happens to caribou in Alaska due to mosquito swarms?

In Alaska, swarms of mosquitoes can become so thick that they can actually asphyxiate caribou, highlighting the extreme impact mosquitoes can have on animals.

How long have mosquitoes been around?

Mosquitoes have been around for over a hundred million years, evolving alongside various species, including humans.

How do mosquitoes feed on blood?

When mosquitoes land, they release saliva which numbs the skin and prevents the victim from feeling the bite. Using their serrated mandibles, they create a hole in the skin and then use their proboscis to search for blood vessels to suck blood.

Why do mosquito bites cause itchy red bumps?

The itchy, red bumps are caused by the mosquito’s saliva, which is an antiseptic that numbs the area but also triggers an allergic reaction in humans, resulting in the bump and itching.

How much blood can a mosquito consume in one feeding?

A mosquito can suck up to two to three times its weight in blood in a single feeding.

What is the global impact of mosquito-borne diseases?

Mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, West Nile virus, and dengue kill over a million people annually worldwide, and they can also infect animals like horses, dogs, and cats.

Why don’t we just eliminate mosquitoes altogether?

Eliminating mosquitoes could disrupt ecosystems as many species, including frogs, fish, and birds, rely on mosquitoes as a food source. Additionally, mosquitoes are important pollinators for some plants.

What do some scientists believe about the role of mosquitoes in the ecosystem?

Some scientists argue that mosquitoes may not be as crucial to the ecosystem as often assumed. They suggest that if mosquitoes were eliminated, another species might take their place without drastically disrupting the ecosystem.

What are the risks of eradicating mosquitoes?

The main risk of eradicating mosquitoes is uncertainty about what might replace them. While it could be beneficial with fewer diseases, it could also lead to the emergence of other species that might cause even worse problems.