All they do is create pure hell for other living creatures, and often they carry deadly diseases.
In Alaska, moose and elk will often go into lakes with their noses just barely out of the water due to these worthless insects tormenting them when they become too great in numbers. Of course, one might say that they are part of the balance of nature, but I would be willing to take a chance at upsetting the balance (and I doubt it really would) if someone would come up with a means to rid the entire earth of these terrible things!
Any comments?
P.S. If it ever does happen that humanity finds a weapon to eradicate them, then I suggest that the vicious deer fly be next on the list. They’re so mean!
I’ve often wondered what ecological niches are filled by mosquitos and fleas. Food for other organisms? Okay, I can buy that. But that role can be filled by non-offensive insects.
Mosquitos are a major food source for several insectivores, specifically because they breed in such quantities. Also, I believe that the males also pollinate some plants (since they only eat plant nectars) but I’m not sure. Taking out mosquitos would be like taking out any other species: not a good idea.
I can’t think of anything. The nasty little bastards even land on me and I swell up like a balloon. This summer was so bad, I actually had to get a prescription to make the itching and throbbing pain go away.
If I ever to become a scientist, I’ll make the eradication of mosquitos my focus. Of course, with my luck - I’ll end up completing the Mimic trilogy :rolleyes:
I can’t think of any use of mosquitoes, or a lot of other creatures, actually (tapeworms and lice, to name two). But then I thought, what use are humans, to most other life forms?
Mainly bats. Insectivorous bats are very likely the largest consumers of mosquitos. Of course, those same bats eat lots of other insects. I know of none which feed exclusively on mosquitos. Also mosquito larvae are food for any number of aquatic, semiaquatic and amphibious creatures inclduind fish and the larvae of other insects.
Filling a niche may consist of merely exploiting available resources and serviing no purpose useful to anything outside of the organism itself.
It may be that mosquitoes provide food for other animals, but they certainly don’t want to - i.e. they don’t exist for that reason; being suitable for someone else’s dinner is, on the whole, a negative selection factor.
That doesn’t mean there are not still reasons why some things are the way they are; cherries, for example are good to eat because they want to be eaten - eggs are good to eat, but they don’t want to be eaten.
