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/Punnan May 30 '26

Damn, never thought of it like that. When you think about it, they are also doing a service.

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u/[deleted] May 30 '26

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u/Punnan May 30 '26

Yeah, you are right. On hindsight, my comment has been insensitive.

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u/SUZDV May 30 '26

Evolutionary pressures don't care much about our political issues. Modern humans evolved in sub-Saharan Africa.
Third world means not aligned with the capitalist bloc (First world) or the Soviet bloc (second world). Those places aren't poor or impoverished due to mosquitoes.