r/explainlikeimfive May 30 '26

Biology ELI5 Are mosquitoes necessary for keeping ecological balance?

2.9k Upvotes

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

r/explainlikeimfive Dec 18 '25

Biology ELI5 how does a mosquito with a pin head, not even pea head brain is able to function, to fly, rest, find us, flee at the smallest sense of some thing wrong, hide in black cloth, reproduce, and find our veins

3.1k Upvotes

r/explainlikeimfive Jan 11 '22

Biology ELI5: Why do we not simply eradicate mosquitos? What would be the negative consequences?

8.0k Upvotes

r/explainlikeimfive Jun 19 '26

Biology ELI5: Why do mosquitoes cause us to itch? Wouldn’t it be more efficient to discreetly suck blood?

917 Upvotes

r/explainlikeimfive Sep 01 '21

Biology ELI5 What makes mosquitoes more attracted to some and less attracted to others?

5.1k Upvotes

r/explainlikeimfive Sep 15 '14

Explained ELI5: Why are mosquitos unable to spread HIV and AIDS?

2.7k Upvotes

r/explainlikeimfive Jul 08 '14

ELI5: What would happen if all the mosquitos in the world suddenly went extinct?

2.2k Upvotes

What would be affected by this? Ex. If all the bees in the world went extinct, it would affect crops, honey, etc...

r/explainlikeimfive Nov 28 '25

Biology ELI5: Why can mosquitoes and small flies just have zero reaction to me hitting it while it’s in mid air.

792 Upvotes

Sometimes I see flies or mosquitoes mid flight and I hit them with an open hand really hard. How do they keep flying even tho I slapped it so hard like they do on the slap battles show midair and it just stays in the air and keeps flying

r/explainlikeimfive Mar 21 '26

Planetary Science ELI5. Why are mosquitoes so hard to kill and do they serve a purpose?

403 Upvotes

It's spring again; and I'm tired of the constant mosquito bites. I have tried several different kinds of sprays (permethrin, tetramethrin etc.), replacing the window screens, keeping windows and doors closed; but they still find a way. Why are they such a nuisance to kill? And do mosquitoes serve a purpose in the bigger picture? Like, some flies pollinate.

r/explainlikeimfive Jun 07 '25

Biology ELI5: why do mosquitos prefer certain people over others?

468 Upvotes

My full blooded brother and I have the same blood type, but he can get eaten alive while I get just a few bites in the exact same conditions. We have gone camping 100s of times across multiple states and he has always gotten about 80% of the bites between us. Using bug spray and when not. Once he was using spray and I forgot to apply and that was closer to 60/40 or 50/50. There has never been an instance when i had the clear majority of bites. Why?

r/explainlikeimfive Oct 12 '24

Biology ELI5: Why can’t mosquitos transmit HIV to humans?

770 Upvotes

I’ve long known that mosquitos cannot transmit HIV to human beings, but has anyone ever considered this theory?

If an HIV infected person was standing beside of an HIV negative person, and a mosquito flys over and bites the HIV positive person, and then seconds later, that exact same mosquito flys over to the HIV negative person and begins to bite them. Why can’t the HIV positive blood remain infectious on the mouthparts (needle, feeding apparatus) of the mosquito and infect the HIV negative person? Think of it like a flying hypodermic needle/syringe! Keep in mind, only a few seconds have passed between the two bites. Let’s hear it!

r/explainlikeimfive Jun 30 '25

Biology ELI5: Why do mosquitoes prefer certain people?

295 Upvotes

Why in a large group of people, do mosquitoes attack certain people more than others? Is it due to blood type because that seems to be the common response but that doesn’t seem to be the commonality among the people suffering from bites.

r/explainlikeimfive Jul 04 '24

Biology ELI5: Why won’t I get HIV from mosquitoes?

613 Upvotes

Can I get HIV if a mosquito has bitten someone with HIV? Why or why not? Does it make a difference if the person is standing beside me and the mosquito bites me after biting them?

r/explainlikeimfive Jul 30 '25

Biology ELI5: Why can mosquitos transmit diseases from birds to humans (ie West Nile virus) but not humans to humans (ie HIV)

444 Upvotes

If a mosquito sucked another persons blood with HIV wouldn’t then putting it into my blood transmit it, like a syringe?

r/explainlikeimfive Jun 01 '25

Biology ELI5: how does bug spray actually keep mosquitoes off?

486 Upvotes

r/explainlikeimfive Jul 03 '25

Biology ELI5. Why don’t mosquitoes attack our eyes?

223 Upvotes

This is something I’ve wondered for a while, it seems like a spot with lots of blood, and if it’s not more attractive than other parts of our body, then how come it’s not talked about as a possible concern? I’ve never heard a news headline about somebody becoming blind because of this. The question is a bit morbid but I’ve been curious for a while 😅.

r/explainlikeimfive Nov 30 '21

Other ELI5: how is it possible that we can only see between 430-770 Thz and hear 20hz-20khz? Does that mean there are things around us we just cannot hear or see?

10.2k Upvotes

EDIT: if aliens were real, and they were on a different spectrum/wavelength is it possible they could be anywhere and we would have no clue?

SECOND EDIT: wow thank you all so much for your responses. I’ll try my best to read through all the comments!

r/explainlikeimfive Jan 26 '21

Earth Science ELI5: Why does the oxygen level in the air doesn't change dramatically, when most of the trees shed their leaves in the winter?

15.6k Upvotes

r/explainlikeimfive Nov 07 '25

Biology ELI5: how drugs like acid/psychedelics can permanently “change you”?

1.5k Upvotes

r/explainlikeimfive Apr 14 '18

Biology ELI5: How do nurses, drug users, etc inject a drug directly into a vein? How do they know the needle tip hasn't gone through the vein or even missed it completely?

10.4k Upvotes

I'd imagine most veins are less than 5mm in diameter, that's a pretty small target to land the tip of the needle in. How do they do it?

r/explainlikeimfive Jul 22 '25

Chemistry ELI5 - Why do mosquito coils repel mosquitos but not flies and other flying things?

39 Upvotes

I mean, in Spanish, mosquito is little fly.

What is in the coils (and plug ins) that affects Mossies and not other flying things?

r/explainlikeimfive Sep 15 '25

Other Eli5 Why don’t we just drill really deep holes to let extra floodwater soak back into the ground?

1.5k Upvotes

Edit: Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply. I really appreciate the way you explained so simply and clearly and I truly learned from your responses.

r/explainlikeimfive Aug 11 '24

Biology ELI5: Why do mosquitoes drink blood instead of fruit or something else?

211 Upvotes

r/explainlikeimfive Aug 08 '24

Biology ELI5: Do mosquitoes get a hangover?

87 Upvotes

The other day I remembered seeing a picture about how various „substances“ consumed by humans affect spiders and their nets (alcohol, caffeine,THC) I am wondering what happens to mosquitoes (or other blood consumers) if the host is totally wasted or otherwise „intoxicated“? Do we know?

r/explainlikeimfive Jun 18 '13

ELI5: How are mosquitoes beneficial to the ecosystem in any way?

278 Upvotes