Mosquitoes are some of the most annoying pests in the world. They bite people, suck blood, and leave itchy skin for days. This prompts questions like 'Why do they suck blood?' or 'Can't we just eradicate all of them and enjoy fresh mornings every day?' This essay will explore these annoying pests, the mosquitoes.

Did you know that not all mosquitoes feed on blood? Only female mosquitoes suck our blood.  They feed on blood to gain enough protein for the reproduction and development of their eggs. Male mosquitoes are different from female mosquitoes: smaller in size, bushy antennae, less needle-like proboscis for biting, and feed on plant juice such as starch. So, when we get mosquito bites, they are all from female mosquitoes.

The life cycle of a mosquito can be divided into four steps: egg, larva, pupa, and adult mosquito. Adult female mosquitoes lay about 100-200 eggs in or near the water because they require the water to hatch. When the eggs hatch, larvae come out, this process is often called ‘wriggler’ because of their wriggling motion on the water. They live in the water to consume microorganisms and organic matter. 

After the larval stage, they enter the pupal stage, sometimes called 'tumblers' due to their tumbling motion in water. They do not feed during this stage. Inside the pupal case, they transform into adult mosquitoes. When the pupal stage ends, adult mosquitoes emerge from the water, resting on its surface until their bodies harden and dry before flying away.

The majority of people might think that mosquitoes are useless pests that only suck blood. However, mosquitoes have some crucial roles in the ecosystem. 

Firstly, they act as a pollinators like bees. Male mosquitoes, which feed on nectar, would go from flowers to flowers, and eventually get covered by pollen. Secondly, mosquitoes act as prey in the ecosystem. The billions of mosquitoes are food for animals such as fish, frogs, dragonflies, spiders, geckos, and bats. If mosquitoes become extinct, there would be a decrease in the food supply for these animals. The lack of food and destroyed food chain would result in endangered animals. In addition, if they go extinct, there would be a decrease in transmission of diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. 

However, there would be a decrease in the food supply for animals such as fish, frogs, and bats. Then, the number of these predators would also decrease due to the lack of food supply. Some people have concerns that getting rid of mosquitoes might lead to another species replacing them. Also, if all mosquitoes are entirely gone, there might be an increase in other species which might also cause negative impacts to people or the environment.

In conclusion, the main reason why mosquitoes bite our skin to suck blood is for reproduction. They are annoying pests for humans, but they also have an important role in the environment, acting as pollinators and as prey. There are many opinions on what would happen if mosquitoes go extinct. Some say that it will decrease the disease transmission rate; it will destroy the food chain; or it would create harmful species. So, what do you think about mosquitoes? Do you think we should eradicate all mosquitoes or not?

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