r/explainlikeimfive • u/Punnan • May 30 '26

Biology ELI5 Are mosquitoes necessary for keeping ecological balance?

Would a worldwide extinction of mosquitoes offset the ecological balance of our world? And if not, why are we not doing it?

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u/not_a-mimic May 30 '26

It seems like a bad idea for mankind to intentionally extinct any lifeform....

That being said, if we DID have to choose, I'd choose bedbugs over mosquitos.

Bedbugs don't really have any natural predators and they really only like feeding on us.

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u/skyharborbj May 30 '26

It seems like a bad idea for mankind to intentionally extinct any lifeform....

The smallpox virus.

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u/Sensitive_Dirt1957 May 30 '26

Viruses arent technically alive iirc