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Mosquitoes found in Iceland for first time as climate crisis warms country | Three specimens discovered in what was previously one of the few places in the world without the insects (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/climate@slrpnk.net
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[–] 7 points 1 year ago (19 children)

Hope we can find some ways to get rid of these fuckers, they really are getting worse everywhere I’ve realized.

I’m not in favor of eradicating them from wild areas but there’s no reason they need to be in cities.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago (5 children)

    I don't understand how a flying insect can be kept out of an area. Do you have a strategy in mind?

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    It's not completely possible but if you could create a situation where mortality is so high or reproduction is impossible for them, you could keep populations very low even if some wander in.

    They have genetically modified mosquitoes that cause sterility in the ones they mate with, which have been used successfully to greatly reduce the population of the species in question. So this is the best existing technology IMO but it probably will require a confluence of techniques.

    But care should be taken that it doesn't harm non-target organisms and doesn't spread out of control.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (2 children)

    I think that would wipe out the target species if it were effective. I know they have GMO mosquitoes whose bodies will kill particular pathogens rather than spread them, and I feel like that's a safer idea. But maybe the species which target humans aren't ecologically important; I don't really know.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago* (1 child)

    It only wipes them out in the area of release. Because they’re sterile, they can’t spread to other regions.

    From what I’ve seen they’ve only been used on introduced mosquito species which are less likely to have much impact on native ecosystems anyway. Most of the mosquitoes that live in cities are introduced cosmopolitan species.

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  • [–] -5 points 1 year ago (12 children)

    Don't you maybe think that humans eradicating shit in favour of cities is part of the whole dang pawblem we're facing?? 🤪

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  • [–] 8 points 1 year ago* (7 children)

    For sure. That’s why we need to densify our cities to stop them from expanding. But that’s a separate question from whether it’s worth it to have mosquitoes in existing cities. I don’t think it is but if you have an argument for it go ahead.

    But the vast majority of urban mosquitoes are introduced species anyway.

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  • [+] -6 points 1 year ago (6 children)

    And eradicating mosquitoes is going to help with that how exactly?

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  • [–] 8 points 1 year ago (5 children)

    Improved human health and well-being in cities certainly couldn’t hurt. But it’s not really meant to be part of that strategy. It’s more to prevent human suffering and death from disease.

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  • [+] -6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

    human suffering

    Right, so we should also eradicate all human predators to prevent human suffering at all, yeah?

    death from disease

    Malaria (and other diseases) can be eliminated. If you're in a western country, when is the last time you heard of someone (in your country) having it? Did they travel recently before* the infection?

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  • [–] 9 points 1 year ago* (3 children)

    We have West Nile that can kill people, and many other dangerous mosquito borne illnesses are expanding.

    Predators have other effective methods to prevent them from killing people.

    But I mean I don’t really think it would be appropriate to have lions in major cities either, so you? Unless measures could be developed to coexist and keep people safe.

    If you’re really passionate about mosquitoes existing in cities for some reason and can develop alternatives that keep people safe then go for it. But despite decades of work on this topic, we’re not there yet and killing mosquitoes remains an important part of disease control in most parts of the world. The way Malaria was eliminated from large regions in the first place was through widespread poisoning of mosquitoes, so that example really doesn’t help your case.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

    killing mosquitoes remains an important part of disease control in most parts of the world.

    Which was done without fully studying the ecological impacts. There are studies coming out now showing there are many impacts from doing this.

    Edit:

    can develop alternatives that keep people safe then go for it.

    Permethrin, diethyltoluamide, citronella, bug zappers and mosquito nets already exist and can help you control their presence both on your person and in a localised area.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (1 child)

    Link?

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  • [–] 0 points 1 year ago

    Most mosquito-borne illnesses are caused by a small subset of specific species of mosquito. There are only a few that cause malaria, for example. Past eradication methods, such as blanketing areas in insecticides, killed mosquitos indiscriminately, even the ones that don't carry diseases (as well as other insects). This had consequences on the rest of the food chain. Humans have tried to eradicate many species to the detriment of ecosystems. Whether that's wolves causing deer populations to explode, dingoes causing the same for kangaroos, or cane toads being brought in to control cane beetles. We just do not have a good track record of trying to eradicate species for our own benefit, because ecosystems are far more complex than we actually understand. For example, did you know that mosquitoes are pollinators?

    A far better method for controlling mosquitos in cities would be to aid in the reintroduction, protection and support of their natural predators. Those would include bats, birds and spiders, as well as lizards and amphibians in some regions. Part of that would also include the eradication of invasive species that outcompete local species, but have differing diets.

    Here's some links though:
    https://cordis.europa.eu/article/id/449267-should-we-eradicate-mosquitoes
    https://tepapa.govt.nz/discover-collections/read-watch-play/new-zealand-mosquito-census/mosquito-facts/can-we-just
    https://www.newscientist.com/lastword/mg25233643-900-if-mosquitoes-were-eradicated-what-would-be-the-consequences/
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK585176/
    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6378608/
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK585188/
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK585164/

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (3 children)

    I weridly pick my own species over others anytime

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  • [–] -2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Yeah, and that's the whole pawblem with the human race.

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