# Every mosquito on Earth drops dead. Any bad results? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 20, 2008, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929 "2008-05-20T02:19:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/1 "2008-05-20T02:19:28Z")
Let’s say that a group of Dopers, weary of the machinations of that diseased maniac Fabulous Creature, storm his Evil Overlord’s citadel and depose him. Examining all the cool gadgets (and disabling all the booby traps and self-destruct devices, they decide to immediately destroy most of the gadgets. Obviously no good will result from using the Sun-Snuffer, the Cask of Endless Hurricanes, or the Adolphe Menjou Re-Animator But one device gives them pause. Examining FC’s notes, the Dopers conclude that the Worldwide Mosquito Disintegrator does exactly what it says. Flick a switch, and every specimen of family [Culicidae](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito) on Earth (including larvae and unhatched eggs) will be vaporized, using a magic process that (a) has no deleterious environmental side effects, (b) only works on mosquitos, and (c) cannot be reversed. An argument breaks out, naturally. “Do you know how many diseases mosquitos are vectors for?” one side says. “We have to use this!” The other side responds, “Hold on–let’s think this through. We’re in a freaking evil lair. I don’t care if we’ve disabled all the self-destruct devices; there’s no way FC would have started work on this thing if it didn’t have evil applications.” What do you think? What’s the hidden downside of killing all the mosquitos at once? ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/2 "2008-05-20T02:39:42Z")
Birds eat mosquitoes, right? Some animal will lose a food source. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/3 "2008-05-20T02:42:25Z")
Won’t somebody think of the bats? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/4 "2008-05-20T02:47:05Z")
We need bats mostly to eat mosquitoes. Population levels will adjust. ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/5 "2008-05-20T02:48:06Z")
[QUOTE=picker] Won’t somebody think of the bats? [/QUOTE] I thought of the bats immediately, I came in to say the bats would be disappointed. Mosquitos provide the only human blood they really get to drink. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/6 "2008-05-20T02:50:00Z")
This might be a stretch, but one could argue that killing all those mosquitoes and halting the spread of infectious disease in poor, equatorial nations in and of itself is a bad thing. I’m not sure what percentage of those nations’ population succumbs to mosquito borne diseases but immediately halting that mortality might overwhelm the already struggling economies and food-stores of those nations due to the sudden abnormal bloat in population. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/7 "2008-05-20T03:21:11Z")
[QUOTE=Omniscient] This might be a stretch, but one could argue that killing all those mosquitoes and halting the spread of infectious disease in poor, equatorial nations in and of itself is a bad thing. I’m not sure what percentage of those nations’ population succumbs to mosquito borne diseases but immediately halting that mortality might overwhelm the already struggling economies and food-stores of those nations due to the sudden abnormal bloat in population. [/QUOTE] But eliminating those diseases could help the economy enough to support the extra people. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/8 "2008-05-20T03:30:49Z")
There are connections beyond the bats that we either don’t know about or don’t understand. Eliminating _any_ species in it’s entirety could cause unexpected ripples, I would think. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/9 "2008-05-20T03:59:40Z")
This has been [asked before](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=83579). I have to admit the previous thread title has a certain charm that this one lacks. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/10 "2008-05-20T04:22:55Z")
[This says](http://www.helium.com/items/254659-believe-mosquitoes-buzzing-giving) > [@](#): > > Believe it or not, mosquitoes are good for more than just buzzing in your ear and giving you that itchy bump. As with all living creatures, they are a part of “the circle of life”. > > You see, fish eat mosquitoes when they are larvae, and birds and bats eat them when they are adult insects. Various other carnivores eat those animals, which we, in turn, eat. If mosquitoes were to be eradicated, this would throw the whole system out of order, just as if you were to do this with any living organism. > > Additionally, mosquitoes are pollinators. Since the diet of mosquitoes is composed of plant nectar, they help plant life grow. You can use this to your advantage. If you live in a highly populated mosquito area, plant some flowers in your yard to attract them to the pollen, rather than your arms, legs and other delicacies. > > Unfortunately, there are no more reasons that I can think of as to how mosquitoes are good. Honestly, at first glance, I write them off as one of Earth’s greatest pests. However, the benefits of them that I have given should not be taken lightly. If you take mosquitoes out of the picture, you might as well take yourself out too. So before you raise your hand in the slapping position, pay a tribute to the almighty pollinator and fish/bird/bat food. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/11 "2008-05-20T04:26:44Z")
[QUOTE=Der Trihs] But eliminating those diseases could help the economy enough to support the extra people. [/QUOTE] I don’t buy it. These economies aren’t suffering due to a lack of manpower. Overpopulation is the key issue in these nations and some death probably helps what little food they have go a little farther. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/12 "2008-05-20T04:42:50Z")
[QUOTE=ultrafilter] This has been [asked before](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=83579). I have to admit the previous thread title has a certain charm that this one lacks. [/QUOTE] Holy crap, that’s funny. I can’t believe that guy lasted for over 1600 posts here. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/13 "2008-05-20T05:17:53Z")
[QUOTE=The Sonoran Lizard King] I thought of the bats immediately, I came in to say the bats would be disappointed. Mosquitos provide the only human blood they really get to drink. [/QUOTE] I’m sure they’re prepared to find other sources. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/14 "2008-05-20T07:52:41Z")
[QUOTE=astro] [This says](http://www.helium.com/items/254659-believe-mosquitoes-buzzing-giving) > [@](#): > > …Additionally, mosquitoes are pollinators. Since the diet of mosquitoes is composed of plant nectar, they help plant life grow. You can use this to your advantage. If you live in a highly populated mosquito area, plant some flowers in your yard to attract them to the pollen, rather than your arms, legs and other delicacies… [/QUOTE] Female mosquitoes don’t suck blood because of a shortage of flowers - they do it to get the nutrients necessary to produce lots of eggs. The flowers will attract them to your house, then when they’re ready to reproduce, they’ll suck your blood. So the advice in the article you linked sounds counterproductive at best. ---
**Author:** ![matt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@matt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/15 "2008-05-20T10:41:08Z")
A limited version of the idea has been proposed: > **[Opinion | A Bug's Death (Published 2003)](https://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/25/opinion/a-bug-s-death.html)** > > Op-Ed article by Olivia Judson, evolutionary biologist, on possibility of using genetic engineering on malaria mosquito to commit specicide--deliberate extinction of entire species; describes research being done; says as with any new technology,... ---
**Author:** ![yams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/848f3c/32.png) [@yams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yams)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/16 "2008-05-20T11:49:27Z")
[QUOTE=Omniscient] I don’t buy it. These economies aren’t suffering due to a lack of manpower. Overpopulation is the key issue in these nations and some death probably helps what little food they have go a little farther. [/QUOTE] When a very large percentage of your population is suffering from chronic, low-grade malaria, manpower is an issue - if you are a subsistence farmer and are too sick to get out to the fields, or to sick to go out there and work hard all day, who is going to get your food? Also, overpopulation is not an issue in sub-Saharan Africa (which is hugely affected by mosquito-borne illnesses) But it’s early yet, and I am not sure what I (or you people) are talking about. love yams!! ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/17 "2008-05-20T15:07:26Z")
I don’t believe that FC has such a machine. He is too fond of radioactive mosquitos and their being released on his enemies (IE, anyone who happens to annoy him) to ever consider destroying them all. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/18 "2008-05-20T15:36:11Z")
[QUOTE=Antinor01] I don’t believe that FC has such a machine. He is too fond of radioactive mosquitos and their being released on his enemies (IE, anyone who happens to annoy him) to ever consider destroying them all. [/QUOTE] Hey, that’s just the rationalization for all the mosquitos dying in a puff of illogic. But to answer in the same vein: FabCre is eeeevvvvvviiiiillllll, as we all know He’d keep such a machine around for one of three reasons: 1. He knows that killing all the mosquitos at once is a bad idea, and he figures that, if he were ever defeated and his fortress ransacked by the Justice Legion of Fantastic X-Avengers, they’ll use the device and thus be responsible for the devastation os Sub-saharan Africa. 2. He knows that obliterating the mosquitos will be harmless, but he figures the JLFXA will think he has some underhanded motive for keeping the machine around, and so after Captain Marvel smashes it, a message will appear saying “hah! you guys could have solved the malaria problem, and yet your cynicism and paranoia caused you to condemn millions to needless suffering! See what listening to Batman gets you?” 3. He beat it on weekend while his wife was out of town and he was bored and was keeping it around until he could think of an evil application. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/19 "2008-05-20T15:38:29Z")
[QUOTE=Omniscient] This might be a stretch, but one could argue that killing all those mosquitoes and halting the spread of infectious disease in poor, equatorial nations in and of itself is a bad thing. I’m not sure what percentage of those nations’ population succumbs to mosquito borne diseases but immediately halting that mortality might overwhelm the already struggling economies and food-stores of those nations due to the sudden abnormal bloat in population. [/QUOTE] Ok, so instead of eliminating the mosquitoes, we genetically re-engineer them so they become a species of jellyfish that function superbly as condoms, with a propensity to get sucked up by waterspouts and distributed across the globe, like the frogs in _Magnolia_. In fact, they don’t just land in clumps, they seek out sources of moisture and shelter: guys’ dicks. And they give off phernomes so women will prefer to have sex with the guys wearing them. “Better Living Through Chemistry” ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929/20 "2008-05-20T15:42:53Z")
[QUOTE=Skald the Rhymer] 3. He beat it on weekend while his wife was out of town and he was bored and was keeping it around until he could think of an evil application. [/QUOTE] Um.. he BUILT it ONE weekend. Damn typo fairies. I shall have my revenge. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-mosquito-on-earth-drops-dead-any-bad-results/449929.md?page=2)