In our ecosystem, every organism has a function to perform. Mosquitoes also have functions that benefit the ecosystem. Pollination is not restricted to bees and moths. Even mosquitoes take part in pollination and are generalist pollinators to some flowers. But do mosquitoes pollinate more than bees is question which we are going to answer in this post.
Are mosquitoes pollinators?
Mosquitoes are known for their sharp bites that cause red bumps which are quite itchy. Also, they spread diseases that can cause death to humans. This happens via sucking infected human blood. However, we all know that only female mosquitoes are responsible for this and not males. Females need the protein found in human blood to reproduce by laying eggs. So what do male mosquitoes feed on? They consume nectar that is found in plants. Female mosquitoes also eat plant sap and take in the nutrients available from sap and nectar. This will help them by providing energy for their flight when they are not laying eggs. This is when pollination happens through mosquitoes. But do mosquitoes pollinate more than bees? At the end of the day, finding the best mosquito killer would be really beneficial.
What is Pollination?
Pollination is the process by which plants reproduce. Pollen from one male flower must be transferred to a female stigma for reproduction in plants to occur. The basic function of any living organism is survival of their species. This species survival is ensured by reproducing and producing offspring. Birds, bees and even some insects like moths take part in pollination. It might be surprising to you that mosquitoes are also pollinators. Mosquitoes are just considered to be annoying insects that bite humans causing irritation and pain. Pollination by mosquitoes is invisible to us since the mosquitoes come out of their place after it gets dark. Hence we are unable to see them feeding on plant nectar.
Are mosquitoes designed to Pollinate?
Mosquitoes do pollinate flowers but they are not designed to do that. They are just helping in pollination accidentally. When we take a look at bees, they collect pollen by using the hairs on their legs. They even have pollen baskets behind their legs to collect the pollen from the flowers. However, mosquitoes lack leg hairs, which prove that pollination is just accidental. The main function of mosquitoes is to restore nutrients back in the ecosystem.
What is the function of mosquitoes in the Ecosystem?
Larvae of mosquitoes survive by feeding upon algae and other microbes in the water. They are in turn consumed by fishes and larvae of other insects. When mosquitoes become adults, they become food to birds and dragonflies. After their life ends, they decompose and decay restoring the nutrients they obtained from microbes during their larvae stage. The whole cycle completes by restoring the ecological balance.
Should we wipe off the whole species of mosquitoes?
Humans feel threatened by the mosquitoes more than any other insect since they spread deadly diseases. That is why everyone is thinking of ways to eradicate mosquitoes altogether. The ecological function of mosquitoes has not been studied intensively. Hence, their role in the balance of the ecosystem still remains largely unknown. But many consider that eradicating the whole species of mosquitoes won’t affect the ecosystem that much. It would be highly unethical to wipe them off completely since only few selected species are responsible for spreading diseases.
Do mosquitoes really pollinate more than bees?
Coming to our question which is do mosquitoes pollinate more than bees, it is safe to say that the answer is no. Mosquitoes have a small role in acting as pollinators for plants like orchids and Goldenrod. Especially, the blunt leaf orchid is pollinated by Aedes Communis. But they are not the only one pollinating the specified plants. Many other pollinators are available for orchids and Goldenrod. Rare arctic orchids benefit mostly from mosquitoes since there are less insect varieties present in the region. Thus they rely heavily upon mosquitoes for pollination. Research has shown that female mosquitoes carry pollen accidentally stuck to their eyes while feeding upon orchids. Other than that, pollination is not the main function of mosquitoes. Unlike mosquitoes, bees play an important role in pollination.
Connection between Mosquitoes and Flowers
Mosquitoes are attracted to flowers by color and smell. Studies have suggested that some flower smells have the same composition as humans. The smell of some flowers is similar to that of humans. This might be the reason why mosquitoes started consuming human blood in the first place. The evolution of mosquitoes is connected closely to the appearance of flowering plants as evidence is now available. Thus we cannot deny there is a close connection between mosquitoes and plants. But the answer is definitely no when we ask do mosquitoes pollinate more than bees.
Find Better Ways to Tackle Mosquito Problem!
Mosquitoes are considering as nuisance at the best. Many plant species are on the verge of extinction. We should consider the importance of mosquitoes as pollinators even though they play only a small part. Eradicating the whole species just because they are a nuisance is not the solution for a better future. We must find ways to tackle the mosquito problem without affecting the ecosystem in any way with this best mosquito killer lamp. We hope our post has answered the question do mosquitoes pollinate more than bees.