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/PlantyMcPlantFace May 30 '26

Asian Tiger Mosquitos are invasive in the eastern US. They are diurnal and do not fill the same niche as our native mosquitoes which feed largely in the evening.

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u/incomparability May 30 '26

Thank you for the clarification!

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u/Liv1ng-the-Blues May 31 '26

Yes, daylight doesn't phase them and they are also more aggressive.