The benefits of mosquitoes in the ecosystem

Do you think that mosquitoes are insects that only cause harm? However, besides causing harm to humans, mosquitoes can also bring benefits to humans, do you believe it? The following article will definitely help you discover many interesting things.

Mosquito provides a food source for other creatures

As you know, mosquitoes lay their eggs in water. At this time, the water eggs will be a rich food source for aquatic creatures.

Fish also love mosquito larvae. Because these larvae eat single-celled algae to mature, providing a source of nutrients for the creatures that eat them.

When mosquitoes mature, they become a priority food source for birds, bats, and spiders.

In addition, mosquito larvae also release nitrogen nutrients, contributing to the sustainable development of aquatic communities. If one day mosquitoes become extinct, it will cause a great disadvantage to the ecosystem.

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Mosquitoes are a source of food for larger organisms than themselves.

Learn more: Differentiating male and female mosquitoes

The benefits of mosquitoes in promoting plant growth

You may not know that only female mosquitoes feed on human blood, not because they are hungry, but because they need to supplement protein to lay eggs. However, male mosquitoes do not feed on human blood at all, their proboscis can only suck nectar and plant fluids, which helps with pollination and the development of crops.

The more mosquitoes live on a plant, the better its growth and productivity will be. Tall and healthy plants also provide shade and shelter for many other flora and fauna.

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Mosquitoes can aid in plant growth by pollinating them

Can mosquitoes cure diseases?

Despite being a source of diseases like dengue fever, malaria, and others, and acting as intermediate vectors for their spread, modern medicine has found evidence suggesting that the saliva of mosquitoes could potentially be used to treat certain illnesses.

The composition of mosquito saliva is quite small, containing only less than 20 essential proteins. Therefore, the potential for nourishing blood from this resource is very feasible.

A promising method for anticoagulation is expected to be developed from mosquito saliva in the future. The anticoagulant and vasodilatory regulating substances are all very useful for the hope of treating cardiovascular disease.

The benefits of mosquitoes mentioned above are not insignificant at all. This shows us that the vast ecosystem contains many interesting things, doesn’t it? Even if it’s just a tiny insect species, it still has a very important influence.

See more: Lifecycle of mosquitoes in nature