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Stephanie Min-Jae Kim

Mosquitoes: Friend or Fiend?




Only when I was 12 did I (painfully) realize my bizarre popularity amongst mosquitoes. Despite having approximately 40 bites on each leg, I miraculously avoided catching the dengue fever. Not only did this experience open my eyes to the excruciating pain of resisting the urge to scratch the bites, but it also further fueled my hatred for mosquitoes. I pondered the reason for the existence of these horrid pests and prayed for a mass extinction to happen overnight. To this day, my opinions on mosquitoes have not changed. What has changed, however, is the fact that there are now scientific advancements that could truly eradicate the monsters that have tormented so many: genetic modification. Now, scientists are able to alter the genetic codes of male mosquitoes so that they will only be able to produce sterile offspring. Then, they will be released from the labs to mate with female mosquitoes, therefore sawing off a branch of the next generation. The question is, should we do it?


Never in my life have I met anyone who likes mosquitoes. They buzz around your ears, bite you in every place imaginable, and leave you itching for weeks on end. However, this has become more than just a question of whether or not they are liked. Although it may not seem that way, mosquitoes are actually one of the deadliest animals in the world, along with snakes, crocodiles, and hippos. They carry lethal diseases such as malaria, dengue, and yellow fever, which cause millions of deaths every year, according to the World Health Organization. Malaria alone has probably contributed to killing over a half of the entire population of humans ever to have lived, says The Guardian. Furthermore, some diseases such as the Zika virus even continue into future generations, causing birth defects. One of the factors that make the mosquito so deadly is the sheer number of them. They are found in every continent on the planet except Antarctica, and whereas most people will never come face to face with a shark in their lifetime, everyone has been bitten by a mosquito at least once. Climate change is not helping. Usually, adult mosquitoes hibernate or die during colder months, depending on the species. However, global warming is creating more mosquito-friendly habitats throughout the year, therefore increasing the year-round number of mosquitoes, viral developments, and biting rates. All of these are important arguments to consider, both emotionally and morally. Mosquitoes certainly do not seem to be an asset to humans.


Then, why are we even hesitating to carry this plan out? Believe it or not, not all mosquitoes are monsters. In fact, out of the over 3,000 types that exist, only around 200 bite us, which means we would have unnecessary blood on our hands if we were to kill off the entire species. Even without considering the scale of this mass extinction, the mere idea could seem daunting to many. The world is not yet comfortable with humans having the power to "edit nature", as Professor Andrea Crisanti put it in an interview with The Guardian. First of all, it could be seen as just as morally incorrect to tweak nature's course as it would be to leave mosquitoes to continue to cause harm. The fact that we feel entitled to eradicate an entire living species because it is a threat to us could either reveal the selfishness of humankind or the urgency of the situation. We do not stop to think of the other forms of life that may rely on mosquitoes as a source of food or pollination. There may be organisms within complex and entangled food chains that benefit from the existence of mosquitoes. The commonly known predators of lizards, fish, and frogs do not rely on mosquitoes solely, so if mosquitoes were to be eliminated, they could still survive. However, there are species that depend on mosquitoes more heavily. For migrating birds in Arctic Russia and Canada, the mosquito species Aedes impiger and Aedes nigripes, which gather in clouds in their path, are an important food source. But that's not all. Although mosquitoes are known for their blood-sucking abilities, they are actually pollinators as well. In fact, for some flower species such as the blunt-leaved and monkeyface orchids, mosquitoes serve as their primary pollinator. To endanger mosquitoes could be to endanger so many other species in addition. In this way, the notion of "editing nature" always comes with the unpredictability of the outcomes; whether or not they are intentional. Ultimately, mosquitoes have been around for 46 million years -- much longer than humans. If they were strong enough to survive multiple catastrophes such as the ice age, is it really fair for us to wipe them out without even giving them a chance to put up a fight?


Our world is far from perfect. There are always going to be things we would like to change. However, we need to be able to weigh out the pros and cons of every situation before taking a step forward. Some things may be detrimental on one side, but profitable and rewarding for another. Ordinarily, we would fight to make a species come alive rather than drop dead. Maybe it is time to consider mosquitoes, not as pests, but rather as equally significant members of the wider ecosystem that makes up life on Earth.


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