Admit it: You’ve thought about it.
Round them all up, strap them to a rocket and launch them straight into the sun. It’s a satisfying thought for anyone who’s swatted at a mosquito or tried to ignore their itchy bite.
Mosquitoes are more than a backyard nuisance. They’re the deadliest creatures on Earth, spreading diseases like malaria, dengue, West Nile, yellow fever, Zika, chikungunya and lymphatic filariasis. These little bloodsuckers are responsible for over 700,000 deaths worldwide every year.
Before we set out to commit mosquito genocide, however, let’s ask: Can we really get rid of them? Mosquitoes are deadly, but they’re also a critical part of the ecosystem, right? Could wiping them out have catastrophic consequences for the environment?
Can We Kill All Mosquitoes?
Not all mosquitoes deserve our hate. Of the more than 3,500 mosquito species out there, most don’t transmit diseases to humans. In fact, some species don’t bite humans at all, and many serve as food for other animals or are unsung heroes of pollination.
If we can’t kill all mosquitoes, what about the species that pose a serious threat to humans? Take Aedes aegypti, the so-called “cockroach of mosquitoes.” These insects are vectors for diseases like dengue, Zika, yellow fever and chikungunya. Plus, they’re an invasive species in many parts of the world, so their removal would also benefit the environment. It’s a win-win. So what’s stopping us from getting rid of Aedes aegypti and making the world a safer place?
The problem is that we’ve already tried.
Why Are Mosquitoes Attracted to Me?
Ever feel like you’re the only one in your group being eaten alive by mosquitoes? If you think mosquitoes have it out for you, you might be right.
It’s nothing personal. Mosquitoes are after blood for a reason: Females need the protein in blood to make eggs. And like any expectant mother, they’re picky about what they eat, using their antennae and palps (sensory appendages that flank the proboscis) to detect carbon dioxide and odors in the air and locate prey. So, if you’re exhaling more carbon dioxide than everyone around you, which is likely if you have a high metabolic rate, you’re more likely to receive mosquito bites.
A One-Man Crusade Against the Mosquito
After a yellow fever outbreak hit Rio de Janeiro in June 1928, Dr. Fred Soper dedicated himself to the herculean task of ridding the world of yellow fever. Soper decided to go after the root cause of the disease’s spread: Aedes aegypti. He had been considering the idea for some time, writing the following a year before the outbreak:
Is it possible to exterminate Aedes aegypti in limited control areas? Has extermination ever been attempted? … This may seem a bit wild, but it does not seem to me to be any more of a departure from the reasonable than was the first attempt to control yellow fever by antilarval measures alone. It seems to me to be worth investigation.
As director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Soper persuaded all member countries to join him in a (deliriously) ambitious mission: to eradicate Aedes aegypti from the Americas. And it worked—at least, for a while. Brazil was declared Aedes aegypti-free in 1958, and by 1964, most Central and South American countries followed suit. Unfortunately, the mosquito is nothing if not resilient.
As soon as Aedes aegypti were eradicated from one area, they moved to another. Total eradication was always out of reach. By 1976, Brazil was reinfested, and by 1985, PAHO was forced to admit defeat, acknowledging that the goal of wiping out Aedes aegypti across the Americas was unrealistic.
Modern Methods for Controlling Mosquito Populations
Soper’s crusade against the mosquito failed for many reasons. Countries struggled with reinfestation, the insecticide DDT was overused and the United States was reluctant to assist. The real issue, however, was that the eradication program promised to solve an impossible problem.
Since then, we’ve gotten smarter about how we tackle mosquitoes. Control strategies are far more specialized, factoring in the complex ways insects, diseases and humans interact. Scientists are even experimenting with gene editing and Wolbachia, a bacterial infection that can sterilize male mosquitoes, to keep populations in check. There are also non-chemical options, such as using fish to eat larvae or drones to identify stagnant water for removal.
Still, the war against these deadly insects rages on. With short generations, mosquitoes are notoriously difficult to deal with, capable of mutating and adapting to almost anything we throw at them. Plus, there’s still a lot we don’t know about these tiny but deadly insects.
Take Up Arms Against the Mosquito
Mosquitoes aren’t just annoying. They’re dangerous, especially in places with limited resources where disease can spread easily. A lot of work needs to be done for humans to live alongside insects like the mosquito safely (and preferably without itchy bites).
Interested in joining the fight? The University of Florida offers online medical entomology programs where you can learn all about preventing the spread of vector borne diseases. Check them out:
Both programs explore integrated pest management in the public health sector, focusing on strategies that can take down insect vectors. Online classes like Ecology of Vector-Borne Diseases and Advanced Mosquito Biology provide the deep knowledge needed to make an impact in this essential field.
Ready to step up? Explore our other certificates and master’s degree specializations, and if you’re serious about dedicating your life to fighting mosquito-borne diseases, apply today to UF.
Sources:
https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/50200/9781000435085.pdf;sequence=1#page=96
https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/12/us/mosquito-control-elimination-us-scn-wellness/index.html
https://www.pfizer.com/news/articles/why_are_some_people_tastier_to_mosquitoes_than_others
