Last week's article motivated me to plant Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa and Asclepias incarnata) in my garden next year, to help with the population of Monarch butterflies and bees.
On the other hand, I'll still be deploying my organic mosquito control based on plant oils injected into a mister system. I really don't think mosquitoes fulfill any role in the ecosystem that can't be filled in by other species; but the difficulty is in avoiding messing with any other insects.
Mosquitos pollenate plants. And they're an important food item for migrating bugs and birds. Less than 40% of them feed on blood, nor is it their only diet among those that do.
It's interesting how matter of factly you spread such a casual opinion about what our ecosystem does and doesn't need.
> I really don't think mosquitoes fulfill any role in the ecosystem that can't be filled in by other species
They are so ubiquitous and numerous that they are without a doubt an important part of the food chain. Removing them from the equation will seriously disrupt the eco-systems they are a part of, and dramatic changes will happen. I cannot tell you what, because no one knows - but they are an important source of food the animals higher up the food chain. Maybe we get overcrowded by flies and spiders. Maybe most birds disappear. Maybe bees die out because mosquitoes kept a parasite at bay, leading to significant change in vegetative matter.
Most of our world is very adaptable, but it is also highly tuned, finely balanced, and complexly interconnected.
On the other hand, I'll still be deploying my organic mosquito control based on plant oils injected into a mister system. I really don't think mosquitoes fulfill any role in the ecosystem that can't be filled in by other species; but the difficulty is in avoiding messing with any other insects.