On the last week of August, a news about the mysterious disappearance of mosquitoes was doing the rounds. Researchers had found that the number of mosquitoes especially those that spread malaria are hard to find in African nations, especially in and around countries like Tanzania, Angola etc.
But this news is NOT heartening as there are disputes about this claim and also there are differences of opinion about the reason for this 'disappearances'. The common perception is that the use of mosquitoes, both insecticide treated and otherwise, vaccinations and other such precautionary and prohibitory methods are finally paying of. Though this seems only logical the truth is such mass disappearance suddenly is not...practical.
In Africa, like in other places around the world, the weather has kind of become freaky. yes, its the climate change thing. Now mosquitoes, all they do in their time is, eat, mate, bite us, lay egg, repeat this cycle as many times as they could in their lifetime and then die. The most important thing 'laying eggs' is kind of like the only reason they live for. Different species of mosquitoes have different needs and preferences when it comes to this. And being one of the most adaptable life forms, they've evolved so much that they could wait ALL winter with eggs in their bellies, lay eggs when the conditions favour them and then die. So with the climatic conditions bleak in Africa, I'd say they are bidding their time before they come back soon stronger than before. The problem here really is, as they are resistant to the insecticides (contrary to the claims of all manufacturers), we'd be poisoning ourselves more and more to stop them while they'd happily dodge our 'aims' and suck on.
But this news is NOT heartening as there are disputes about this claim and also there are differences of opinion about the reason for this 'disappearances'. The common perception is that the use of mosquitoes, both insecticide treated and otherwise, vaccinations and other such precautionary and prohibitory methods are finally paying of. Though this seems only logical the truth is such mass disappearance suddenly is not...practical.
In Africa, like in other places around the world, the weather has kind of become freaky. yes, its the climate change thing. Now mosquitoes, all they do in their time is, eat, mate, bite us, lay egg, repeat this cycle as many times as they could in their lifetime and then die. The most important thing 'laying eggs' is kind of like the only reason they live for. Different species of mosquitoes have different needs and preferences when it comes to this. And being one of the most adaptable life forms, they've evolved so much that they could wait ALL winter with eggs in their bellies, lay eggs when the conditions favour them and then die. So with the climatic conditions bleak in Africa, I'd say they are bidding their time before they come back soon stronger than before. The problem here really is, as they are resistant to the insecticides (contrary to the claims of all manufacturers), we'd be poisoning ourselves more and more to stop them while they'd happily dodge our 'aims' and suck on.
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