Why can’t we get rid of mosquitoes once and for all?
“Mosquitoes play a large role in the environment,” says Ruiz-López. “We know they transmit disease, and when we get bitten, we hate them, but they do more than that.” Despite their bloodsucking reputation, only female mosquitoes feed on animals, while both males and females feed on nectar. This means that mosquitoes play a significant role as pollinators, especially as they are active during the night, when most of the more famous pollinators such as bees and butterflies are not around. In fact, long before they spread their wings, mosquitoes play an important ecological role in their larval form, filtering microbes, detritus and algae from stagnant ponds. This makes them an irresistible snack for small fish and amphibians, which feed bigger fish and birds, and so on. “And the adult roles are important,” explains Ruiz-López, “they feed birds and spiders, for example.” Even the four species of mosquito that transmit malaria – the first in line for any eradication programme – are important to the wider ecosystem. “If we got rid of one of these species, we don’t know that would happen. More than we think, probably,” says Ruiz-López. Through the EU-funded TransWNV project, Ruiz-López examined the role of the house mosquito in transmitting West Nile Virus. Typically this is passed between birds and mosquitoes, but it can be transmitted to humans. She found that some birds, such as sparrows, are highly susceptible to the disease, while others such as quail and turtledoves act as asymptomatic carriers. To complicate matters, removing a house mosquito’s preferred food supply (birds) sends it hunting for less desirable prey. This is when cases of West Nile Virus start to appear among humans. “I say in my talks this is all part of a one-health notion, that your health is no different from the animals and the ecosystem. A healthy ecosystem has mosquitoes, to feed bugs and clean the water, the environment needs all these parts.” Though as mosquitoes have a preference for particular species – and people – Ruiz-López does have one bit of advice. “If you are worried about being bitten, it might help to sit next to someone more tempting!” Click here to find out more about María José Ruiz-López’s research: Turtledoves can carry bad tidings for sparrows – and humans
Keywords
TransWNV, mosquitoes, malaria, larval, West Nile, virus, carrier, eradication
