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On Aug 18, 2016, at 5:39 PM, John Kearney &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:john.k --94eb2c04b39a974381053a6c4506 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Nancy wrote: "I would appreciate receiving educated opinions on the usefulness (or not) of the mosquito." And I question, "What does their *usefulness* (presumably Nancy meant, 'useful to people') matter one bit?" If they are not useful, should we eradicate them because they're annoying, and in some places, spread disease? Don't get me wrong, if an animal is a problem, it should be dealt with...I trap the mice in my house routinely, but I don't go out into the back forty and try do kill them all. I cannot think of a single direct positive use of mosquitoes for us off hand. Indirectly, some species pollinate some flowers. One species helps pitcher plants to survive by helping to break down captured prey. They spread disease, and this is a good thing, because disease helps to not allow species to become too abundant. As Nancy mentioned, mosquitoes are a huge source of food for insectivores, both aquatic and terrestrial. If we were to remove all mosquitoes, all couple dozen species (?) from our province, there would be massive die offs of first, insectivores, then the animals which rely on eating those insectivores. The environment would be hugely different. And quiet. Cheers to Mosquitoes! Randy _________________________________ RF Lauff Way in the boonies of Antigonish County, NS. On 18 August 2016 at 17:03, N Robinson <nrobbyn@gmail.com> wrote: > Hello all, > > I would appreciate receiving educated opinions on the usefulness (or not) > of the mosquito. I have on record a biologist who says the world would not > miss them if they were eradicated. Now I have found a recent children's > book called *Bloodsuckers*, which says we need them. I am sure they > serve a purpose, if only to provide an easy and abundant prey for a lot of > very hungry birds. > > I have learned to question media reports on things like the Zika virus and > birth defects - it is making a good excuse for introducing the new Oxitec > GM mosquito, with Bill Gates funding behind it - what better venue than the > Olympics to roll out that product! > > FYI *World Mosquito Day* is coming up on August 20. It is celebrated in > Great Britain to mark the discovery of the connection of the mosquito to > malaria. > > I have no specialized knowledge in any science, but would like to send a > balanced reply to an article in the *Montreal Gazette* by a doctor who is > extolling the potential benefits of the new GM mosquito and who seems to be > accepting the media reports of the connection of the Zika virus to "birth > defects". These turn out to be microencephaly and another very rare > disorder which passses; the connection so far is based on one > correlational study. > > Any and all opinions welcome! Don't worry, I will not quote you without > your permission. > > Nancy > > -- > Nancy Robinson > novascotiavacation.weebly.com > www.twinski.com > 514-605-7186 > Home: 514-938-5249 > --94eb2c04b39a974381053a6c4506 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr">Nancy wrote:<div><br></div><div>"<span style=3D"font-= size:12.8px">I would appreciate receiving educated opinions on the usefulne= ss (or not) of the mosquito."</span></div><div><span style=3D"font-siz= e:12.8px"><br></span></div><div><span style=3D"font-size:12.8px">And I ques= tion, "What does their <i>usefulness</i>=C2=A0(presumably Nancy meant,= 'useful to people') matter one bit?" If they are not useful, = should we eradicate them because they're annoying, and in some places, = spread disease? Don't get me wrong, if an animal is a problem, it shoul= d be dealt with...I trap the mice in my house routinely, but I don't go= out into the back forty and try do kill them all.</span></div><div><span s= tyle=3D"font-size:12.8px"><br></span></div><div><span style=3D"font-size:12= .8px">I cannot think of a single direct positive use of mosquitoes for us o= ff hand. Indirectly, some species pollinate some flowers. One species helps= pitcher plants to survive by helping to break down captured prey. They spr= ead disease, and this is a good thing, because disease helps to not allow s= pecies to become too abundant.</span></div><div><span style=3D"font-size:12= .8px"><br></span></div><div><span style=3D"font-size:12.8px">As Nancy menti= oned, mosquitoes are a huge source of food for insectivores, both aquatic a= nd terrestrial. If we were to remove all mosquitoes, all couple dozen speci= es (?) from our province, there would be massive die offs of first, insecti= vores, then the animals which rely on eating those insectivores. The enviro= nment would be hugely different. And quiet.</span></div><div><span style=3D= "font-size:12.8px"><br></span></div><div><span style=3D"font-size:12.8px">C= heers to Mosquitoes!</span></div><div><br></div><div>Randy</div></div><div = class=3D"gmail_extra"><br clear=3D"all"><div><div class=3D"gmail_signature"= data-smartmail=3D"gmail_signature">_________________________________<br>RF= Lauff<br>Way in the boonies of<br>Antigonish County, NS.</div></div> <br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On 18 August 2016 at 17:03, N Robinson <span= dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:nrobbyn@gmail.com" target=3D"_blank">nro= bbyn@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" s= tyle=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div= dir=3D"ltr"><div>Hello all,<br><br>I would appreciate receiving educated o= pinions on the usefulness (or not) of the mosquito.=C2=A0 I have on record = a biologist who says the world would not miss them if they were eradicated.= =C2=A0 Now I have found a recent children's book called <i>Bloodsuckers= </i>, which says we need them.=C2=A0 I am sure they serve a purpose, if onl= y to provide an easy and abundant prey for a lot of very hungry birds.<br><= br>I have learned to question media reports on things like the Zika virus a= nd birth defects - it is making a good excuse for introducing the new Oxite= c GM mosquito, with Bill Gates funding behind it - what better venue than t= he Olympics to roll out that product!<br><br>FYI <b>World Mosquito Day</b> = is com