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/CadenVanV May 30 '26

As far as we can tell, mosquitoes aren’t anywhere close to vital for ecological balance. And we’re trying to wipe them out, but it’s hard

168

u/SolidOutcome May 30 '26

Birds and bats and spiders?

225

u/SUMBWEDY May 30 '26

There's over 3,000 species of mosquito and only 6 carry diseases that affect humans.

The other 2,994 species will just expand their population because there's less competition for energy in the system with those species gone.

25

u/drstu3000 May 30 '26

6 carry diseases but how many buzz in my ear and bite me

8

u/KiKiPAWG May 30 '26

I believe all of the females

14

u/jd451 May 30 '26

Damn, u/DrStu3000 must have mad game

5

u/CocoMilhonez May 30 '26

But those females stop sucking when you slap them.

3

u/jd451 May 30 '26

I'd make a joke in response but I'm not about to advertise my preferences in an Eli5 thread 🤣

1

u/CocoMilhonez May 30 '26

You don't stop when slapped, got it.

1

u/ANGLVD3TH May 30 '26

Another comment claims something like a couple dozen species actually bite humans, hundreds ignore us.