Why are mosquitoes needed in nature, what benefits do they bring?

There are many insects in nature whose usefulness is beyond doubt or question. For example, bees. They pollinate flowers and collect pollen, which is then used to make honey. Or ladybugs, which protect the leaves of garden plants from destruction, fighting aphids and spider mites. And ants are capable of clearing a garden of several hundred square meters of caterpillars, slugs and other pests. We wondered why mosquitoes are needed in nature and are they needed at all? Perhaps the world would be a better place without them? Let's try to figure it out.

Animals

Bats hunt mosquitoes. Watching these animals during their hunt, you can see how they quickly glide back and forth, catching insects.

Reindeer migrations depend on mosquitoes. Pests drink up to 300 ml of blood from one deer per day. Animals often change their location so that many blood-sucking insects do not accumulate around them.

The mosquito drinks the blood of all animals. An insect attack brings a positive effect: after loss, new blood is produced, healing the body.

What benefits do they bring to humans and nature?

If blood-sucking mosquitoes disappear, the food chain will be disrupted. This will entail changes in both the animal and plant worlds. The disappearance of mosquitoes will also affect human life. To understand how a squeaking mosquito can be useful, you need to study some aspects:

Mosquitoes are useful not only at the imago stage, but also at the stage of larvae and pupae. After all, many amphibians feed on eggs and look for larvae in the water.
Another important role of mosquitoes in nature is water filtration. This function is performed by the larvae. Small individuals pass about 900-1,000 ml of water in 60 minutes. The larvae consume decomposition products that are present in containers and small bodies of water.
When asked why blood-sucking mosquitoes are needed, scientists give a clear answer. They act as nutrients for vegetation and soil. After all, pupae and larvae consume microelements that are in the water. After the insects die, these substances end up in the soil. Therefore, mosquitoes will be useful if they die.
Many people are aware of the benefits of the male mosquito. After all, males pollinate plants, which contributes to their more active development.
The nature of mosquitoes is actively studied by oriental craftsmen and healers. They use these blood-sucking insects to find weak spots and painful areas.

It is difficult to imagine what will happen if mosquitoes disappear. After all, the plant and animal world will need to adapt to radically new living conditions.

People

Mosquitoes carry diseases and are therefore dangerous to humans. But there are benefits from uninfected insects. A person's sore spot emits an increased amount of heat. The mosquito lands on it and, drinking old blood, improves blood supply and removes capillary blood clots.

Based on mosquito saliva, research is being conducted to produce drugs that prevent blood clotting. Increased clotting is dangerous to health.

In South American and Asian cuisines, mosquitoes are roasted over an open fire and eaten, so the insects can be food for humans.

Mosquitoes, carrying diseases, kill a million people a year. On a planetary scale, natural selection occurs, even if ethically it looks creepy.

It is uncomfortable for people to live in areas with a high population of mosquitoes and other insects. Mosquitoes are unwitting protectors of wild places.

Without annoying pests, people could populate some areas, but without protective equipment this is impossible. It is not for nothing that most of the tropics remain unexplored.

Diagnostic doctors

We came across some interesting information. We couldn’t check it, but we thought it would be interesting to our readers. Have you ever wondered why a mosquito bites where it bites and not somewhere else? Yes, of course, he cannot bite through a jacket or boots. But if he has a choice: leg, arm, neck - everything is open. What is he guided by?

So there is some reason to believe that the mosquito bites only sick people and only in the place where there is some kind of disease or pathology. Well, kind of like cats that lie down on a sore spot, but only very small and flying.

Interesting! In addition, in the Russian-language segment of the Internet we found information that in China there is a special mosquito therapy. They let a person into a room with mosquitoes and see where they bite him. Something like acupuncture.

Alas, we could not find information in any authoritative source that one of the functions of mosquitoes in nature is to search for diseases in people and animals. Rather, they still spread them, rather than treat them.

Development and growth of mosquitoes

The development of mosquitoes represents a complete cycle: egg - larva - pupa - adult. All growth phases of a mosquito are aquatic. Eggs are laid in water. Mosquitoes breed in all kinds of bodies of water: standing and flowing, temporary and permanent. Mosquito eggs easily float on the surface of the water, without fear of either rain or wind. In one approach, the female lays 100-150 eggs. The development time of mosquito eggs is determined by the water temperature and ranges from 30 hours to 9 days.

In urban conditions, the most favorable places for the development of mosquito larvae are damp and damp basements of houses. Adult mosquitoes live in the air. The lifespan of a female mosquito in summer is up to one and a half months.

Natural enemies

Mosquitoes have many enemies around who want to eat them. It is a delicacy for dragonfly larvae. Besides her, the rest of the inhabitants of the rivers and seas try to swallow them.

There are also predators among plants that catch mosquitoes and use them as a source of food. With the help of an adhesive composition, butterwort, flycatcher, sundew, and bladderwort plants capture the mosquito.

Birds: swift, swallow, oriole, wren, chaffinch, starling and tit. Reptiles: frog, newt, toad, chameleon, lizard and turtle.

The bat and the common mouse, as well as the hedgehog, love to feast on mosquitoes.

Who are mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes are representatives of the Diptera family and belong to the long-whiskered group. In total, there are about 3 thousand species of these insects. In Russia there are mosquitoes of the genus biting, malarial and true, and in total more than 100 species of them are common in our country. In the city, the most widespread mosquito is the common mosquito.

Body structure

A mosquito has the following structure:

the body is thin, no more than 1.5 cm long, colored gray, yellow or brown; the body consists of three main parts - the head, chest and abdomen;
on the head there are antennae, divided into 15 small segments, and an oral apparatus, represented by two pairs of jaws, a tongue, numerous small teeth and a pair of lips; the lips form a kind of groove in which long needles are located; the groove of females has bristles and is somewhat longer than that of males;
the abdomen is divided into ten segments; the last two are parts of the external genitalia, near which the anus is located; the first eight segments are connected to each other by an elastic membrane - the pleura, and each consists of two plates - ventral and dorsal, the second - sixth segments are carriers of spiracles;
for insects of the mosquito family, the chest is the central organ to which, in addition to the head and abdomen, the legs and wings are attached; the chest itself consists of three parts: prothorax, mesothorax and metathorax; the prothorax has an exoskeleton consisting of three plates; The mesothorax consists of the same number of plates, but it is more developed and bears the anterior thoracic spiracle; the metathorax is located on the sides of the thoracic region
the wings are thin and narrow, consisting of veins located lengthwise and transversely, along the edge of each wing is framed by a costal vein; scales are unevenly located on the surface, which form a fringe along the rear edge of each wing;
On a note! Some scientists are inclined to think that on the surface of the wings there are nerve endings, which are sensory organs!
the legs are located on the mesothorax and their number is six; each leg is divided into a pelvis, trochanter, femur, tibia and tarsus; each paw, in turn, consists of five segments and on the last one has two claws; There is one sucker under each claw; on the inner parts of the hind tibia there are several flat spines arranged in a row.

Females and males - looking for differences

Male and female mosquitoes differ in both external characteristics and food preferences:

female representatives feed on blood, as it is a source of protein, lipids and iron; thanks to such food, female mosquitoes are able to continue the race; after satiation, the mosquito flies to a secluded place, where it digests the extracted portion for several days, at the same time the eggs mature in its body; For males, for normal life, flower nectar, which is saturated with carbohydrates, is enough; carbohydrates in the mosquito’s body are converted into glycogen - this is the energy that the male gradually consumes during flights;
during the act of feeding, females must pierce the dense skin, and therefore their oral apparatus is equipped with piercing needles located in the proboscis; males do not have these needles, since they simply do not need them;
a male mosquito has longer hairs on its antennae and this is noticeable even without a microscope; they look like soft fluffy feathers; The mustache of the female half of the mosquito family is very thin and inconspicuous.

The difference between a female and a male

The female's diet consists of blood, while the males consume water and nectars. The male mosquito never drinks blood, preferring it to water and nectars. The female needs blood during the period of laying eggs. From it she extracts nutrients, protein and iron enzyme.

The difference between a female mosquito and a male

Using a special antenna, the female pierces the epithelium and drinks blood, like a straw. Such an antenna helps males during mating; thanks to it, the male senses and anticipates the position of the females.

External structure

It's easy to recognize a mosquito when it lands on your hand and bites you. Most people do not pay close attention to this insect, instead trying to swat it the moment it bites. If you spend a little time, you will see that members of the Culicidae family do exhibit common traits.

Mosquitoes belong to the suborder Nematocera - true flies with long antennae. Their antennae have 6 or more segments. The male's antennae are quite pubescent, providing a large surface area for detection of females. Female whiskers are short-haired.

Mosquito wings have scales along the veins and edges. The mouth parts - a long proboscis - allow adult individuals to drink nectar, and in the case of the female, blood.

Description

There are a large number of varieties of these insects, which determine their habitat and methods of reproduction. In nature there are a number of dangerous species and absolutely harmless ones. Typically found in wet and warm habitats.

Mosquitoes belong to the family of dipteran insects. In their structure they have a subgroup, which is also divided into subspecies.

An important condition for the existence of all types of mosquitoes is the proximity of water. They cannot survive in dry areas. The most optimal habitat is swamps, rivers, lakes, characterized by damp soil and warm temperatures. The number of mosquito populations is determined by external conditions of existence. Dry areas and frosts are detrimental to mosquitoes.

Choosing a bite site by flying pests

Companies that vacation in dachas and suburban areas have more than once noticed that bloodsuckers do not attack everyone. Those who eat natural foods and spend most of their time outdoors suffer the least. After seven to fourteen days, people acquire an aroma that becomes unattractive to insects.

This is why avid summer residents flee from attacks by midges and mosquitoes. This property is also used by manufacturers of protective preparations, which contain repellents of natural origin and components that repel them, thereby reducing the likelihood of an attack.

Before biting, a mosquito carefully approaches the process of selecting the location of the bite, paying attention to such aspects as:

They are attracted to places that have a rich aroma of lactic acid;
Purity of blood - with a proper human diet, as well as in the case of rare consumption of harmful foods, insects try to avoid them;
Muscles – mosquitoes look for areas that have damaged muscles or damaged epithelium.

Many experts advise people to improve their diet if they notice special attention to their skin from bloodsuckers.

Disease notification

Biological scientists have deciphered the mechanism that signals the presence of human diseases, the basis of which is the observation of mosquitoes - this process makes it possible to:

Determination of weak points and human organs;
Identification of a specific atmospheric phenomenon that will prevail in a given season;
Accelerating the human healing process;
Notification of necessary adjustments in the body to deliver nutrients to the required organs.

What can a bite lead to?

Among the main symptoms that occur in victims after a bite are:

Possible appearance of slight swelling, which subsides after a few hours;
Itching - it appears due to the saliva that the mosquito secretes, but it will not last long if you apply ice to the affected area or treat it with an antiseptic;
Mosquito bites in exotic countries can lead to infection, so make sure to get vaccinated in advance.

Most people, when answering the question of why bloodsuckers are needed, rely on stereotypes. Some citizens think that such insects are capable of transmitting hepatitis, which is completely false. Collection of pus in the wound can only be collected in cases where the area on the skin has not been treated with special lotions or an alcohol solution.

In order to better understand the consequences of the extinction of bloodsuckers, you need to understand the benefits of a bite:

The blood-sucking animal selects damaged or diseased areas of the skin to bite. They often consume blood from vessels where small blood clots have formed;
Mosquito therapy makes it possible to cleanse the blood of unhealthy components;
A person's immunity is increased if he is bitten by a mosquito.

If you suffer from allergic reactions, it is imperative to provide protection, since the consequences may become irreversible. As a method of protection, you can use a medicine, a special ointment or spray.

Nutrition

The female feeds on blood to lay eggs. She needs blood as a building element for future offspring. Males prefer water and plant nectar of burdock, flowering tansy, and yarrow to blood.

The mosquito chooses its diet depending on its habitat. Tansy is a favorite delicacy of forest dwellers and cottage dwellers. The fructose contained in tansy affects the mosquito's body.

Some representatives of mosquitoes prefer to use exofloral nectar and honeydew as food.

Chinese medicine - the use of mosquito therapy

Doctors from China are definitely familiar with the benefits of mosquitoes. Blood-sucking creatures are capable of not only consuming human blood, but also cleansing the energy channel. According to their theory, all the negativity that accumulates inside the human body comes out through the hole.

This procedure is somewhat reminiscent of acupuncture therapy. With the correct identification of injection points, the general health of the human body is greatly improved.

Of course, you need to know about the importance of blood-sucking pests for nature, since many carry out measures for the mass destruction of such pests, and do not even think about the possible harm to the natural environment.

The main purpose of insects

The benefits of flies lie in the peculiarities of their nutrition, life activity, and habitat. They involuntarily become spreaders of infection and bacteria when they come into contact with an environment that is teeming with pathogenic microorganisms.

For the development of larvae, a semi-liquid medium is required, as well as a large amount of protein. Females lay eggs on rotting, spoiled food, vegetables, fruits, decaying parts of plants, as well as meat, corpses, deep wounds on the body of animals and humans, left without proper attention. A large number of larvae of different types of flies develop in feces, garbage, garbage pits, drains, drains, and sewers.

They feed on liquid food – juices. Favorite dishes are honey, jam, syrup, ripe fruit, lemonade. In the absence of these products, they switch to more solid foods. Initially, it is treated with a special secretion - saliva, then absorbed. But most of all, blow flies bring both benefit and harm, which develop in the meat of animals, fish, and rotting human wounds.

The benefit of flies lies in the ability of their larvae to decompose tissue. Larvae are nature's orderlies. If it weren’t for these creatures, there would be decaying corpses of animals, birds, rotting plants, fruits, and vegetables everywhere. Female flies are attracted by the smells of rotting, sweat, and bacteria.

Balancing ecology and stability in food chains

Many people know that the squeaking mosquito is an ideal food for various species of birds, inhabitants of water bodies, dragonflies, and some animals. The larva of the presented insect is an excellent filter feeder that consumes microorganisms present inside the reservoir.

After developing into an adult (imago), the mosquito removes from the aquatic environment many microelements that are important for life, and after death, they fertilize the soil with them. It is also worth noting that male bloodsuckers pollinate vegetation.

Life cycle

Mosquitoes undergo a complete metamorphosis in four stages. The female lays eggs in stagnant fresh water; some species lay eggs in moist soil prone to flooding. Within two weeks, the larvae turn into pupae. The pupae cannot feed, but can be active by floating on the surface of the water. Adults emerge after just a few days, and sit on the surface until they are dry and ready to fly. Adult females live from two weeks to two months; adult males can only live for a week.

Harm from mosquitoes

Damage from mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are definitely not the most pleasant insects for humans. Their bites provoke an allergic reaction on the skin; discomfort can be replaced by severe itching, swelling, and poor health. But some types of these bloodsuckers bring real trouble - fatal diseases. The malaria mosquito is a carrier of dangerous diseases:

malaria;
encephalitis;
anthrax;
dengue;
intestinal infections and others.

Both animals and people can suffer from malaria mosquito bites. Diseases transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito are often fatal. Deaths occur especially often in hot third world countries. The fight against the malaria vector has improved sanitary conditions in some regions. And this fact can be attributed to the presence of such a threat as malaria.

On a note!
To prevent insect damage from being so destructive, you can always use mosquito repellent. Modern repellents, mosquito nets, folk remedies and other devices significantly reduce the risk of being bitten.

Some people find the bites of common mosquitoes beneficial. This is explained by the fact that when the mosquito penetrates a blood vessel with its proboscis, it injects a special substance into the blood that prevents blood clotting. This component, according to some data, may have a positive effect on people who experience blood clots or blood thickening.

Another type of mosquito, the centipede, is a real disaster for agriculture. The adult insect itself does not have any negative impact on the garden. The damage is caused by mosquito larvae that emerge from eggs laid in moist soil. They are capable of devouring everything in their path. They often come across cultivated plants that are of great importance for the development of agriculture in the region: