Brazil Rolls Out GM Mosquito Farms

[Ought Six]

A lot of animals, including insects, birds, bats, even fish, survive primarily off of mosquitoes. Those critters have their roles to play in the ecosystem. Simply wiping out an important prey species like mosquitoes would have significant consequences.

I loathe the bastards too, but they are just another piece of the jigsaw.

Exactly. In the entire tropics, there is no way to separate 'disease-carrying mosquitoes' from those that are disease-free. Potentially any mosquito could be carrying any number of diseases. To try and reduce their numbers in populated areas and in human dwellings with spraying is one thing. To try and reduce or eliminate the mosquito over whole swaths of territory is quite another. The latter would be idiotic.

[IraGlacialis]

First disease immune mosquitoes, next, overly aggressive gorillas guarding diamond mines. This will end poorly, mark my words.

As long as you don't give the gorillas large spoons, all will be well.

A lot of animals, including insects, birds, bats, even fish, survive primarily off of mosquitoes. Those critters have their roles to play in the ecosystem. Simply wiping out an important prey species like mosquitoes would have significant consequences.

It isn't just being an important prey species. Many people forget that only the females are parasitic. The males on the other hand feed on fruits and nectar; thus, they are extremely important pollinators for many plants, including those for agriculture.

And as mentioned, we so far have no idea this, if even practical, will stay within the proper boundaries.

What would be nice is possibly simply create a species of mosquito where the female is is herbivorous as well. All of the benefits, none of the pain. Though, knowing how unpredictable nature can be, that could also backfire.

[twinblade]

What would be nice is possibly simply create a species of mosquito where the female is is herbivorous as well. All of the benefits, none of the pain. Though, knowing how unpredictable nature can be, that could also backfire.

Turning mosquitoes vegan ? yeah right, that **** don't work on humans much less mosquitoes

[BogT]

*
That's not how it works. The only risk (that i foresee) is that the GMO would be less fit to survive in the wild than wild species and/or the gene will disapear through generations, meaning money would have been thrown by the window

That's what I thought as well. Plus, is unlikely that the numbers of lab produced mosquito will be large enough to exterminate the species in on go. It's more about reducing the numbers. This will be done gradually and it will require a constant release of sterile males, otherwise the numbers will just bounce back.

The ecosystem will adapt, birds and bats will go for another prey. If the situation becomes dire, they can always stop the program. Most likely, a balance will be reached.

[Ought Six]

That's what I thought as well. Plus, is unlikely that the numbers of lab produced mosquito will be large enough to exterminate the species in on go. It's more about reducing the numbers. This will be done gradually and it will require a constant release of sterile males, otherwise the numbers will just bounce back.

The ecosystem will adapt, birds and bats will go for another prey. If the situation becomes dire, they can always stop the program. Most likely, a balance will be reached.

Birds and bats will 'just adapt'? What bullsh1t. There is no 'other prey' that they will suddenly magically learn to hunt. The 'other prey' already has natural predators that are too well adapted to their prey to be out-competed by species not so adapted. The way nature adapts is that if a prey species suddenly goes extinct, its predator goes extinct as well. Along with those birds and bats, whole species of fish and insects depend on mosquitoes as their primary food source. They will go extinct as well. New species will appear to fill the niche left by mosquitoes. It will only take a few tens of thousands of years of evolution, but it will eventually happen. That is, assuming we have not wiped out thousands of other species with kind of brazen stupidity in the meantime.

[Mordoror]

Exactly. In the entire tropics, there is no way to separate 'disease-carrying mosquitoes' from those that are disease-free. Potentially any mosquito could be carrying any number of diseases. To try and reduce their numbers in populated areas and in human dwellings with spraying is one thing. To try and reduce or eliminate the mosquito over whole swaths of territory is quite another. The latter would be idiotic.

Not true
They are targetting only one specie : Aedes aegyptii
There are more than 3500 species of mosquitoes, so targetting one specie would not theorically have a big impact of the food chain (imo less than indiscriminate spraying that kills none selectively all sprayed arthropods)
The thing is as i said, either the modified Aedes would be less fit to survive in the wild, either the selection gene will disapear (needing constant releasing of GMO mosquitoes) either the impact on the local Aedes aegyptii will be efficient enough to see rise of another specie. Nature does not like any void
And species relative to Aedes aegyptii (like Aedes albopictus) are also disease carriers. The whole project is woobly from the beginning

[tommyd]

If they want to get rid of mosquitos, they should be breeding bats.

[Lt-Col A. Tack]

Well, at least they aren't messing with cockroaches

[danielc]

Types of Mosquitoes

There are more than 2,700 species of mosquitoes in the world, and there are 13 mosquito genera (plural for "genus") that live in the United States. Of these genera, most mosquitoes belong to three:

• Aedes - These are sometimes called "floodwater" mosquitoes because flooding is important for their eggs to hatch. Aedes mosquitoes have abdomens with pointed tips. They include such species as the yellow-fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) and the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus). They are strong fliers, capable of travelling great distances (up to 75 miles/121 km) from their breeding sites. They persistently bite mammals (especially humans), mainly at dawn and in the early evening. Their bites are painful.
• Anopheles - These tend to breed in bodies of permanent fresh water. Anopheles mosquitoes also have abdomens with pointed tips. They include several species, such as the common malaria mosquito (Anopheles quadrimaculatus), that can spread malaria to humans.
• Culex - These tend to breed in quiet, standing water. Culex mosquitoes have abdomens with blunt tips. They include several species such as the northern house mosquito (Culex pipiens). They are weak fliers and tend to live for only a few weeks during the summer months. They persistently bite (preferring birds over humans) and attack at dawn or after dusk. Their bite is painful.

Some mosquitoes, such as the cattail mosquito (Coquilettidia perturbans), are becoming more prevalent pests as humans invade their habitats.

Diseases

Mosquitoes can carry many types of diseases that are caused by bacteria, parasites or viruses. These diseases include:

• Malaria - Malaria is caused by a parasite that is transmitted by an Anopheles mosquito. The parasite grows in your bloodstream and can produce symptoms that develop anywhere from six to eight days to several months after infection.The symptoms include fever, chills, headaches, muscle aches and general malaise (similar to flu symptoms). Malaria is a severe disease that can be fatal, but can be treated with antimalarial drugs. Malaria is prevalent in tropical or sub-tropical climates.
• Yellow Fever - Yellow fever no longer occurs in the United States or Europe, but it is prevalent in Africa and parts of South America. It is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Yellow fever produces symptoms similar to malaria, but also includes nausea, vomiting and jaundice. Like malaria, yellow fever can be fatal. There is no treatment for the disease itself, only the symptoms. Yellow fever can be controlled by vaccination and mosquito control.
• Encephalitis - Encephalitis is caused by viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes *such as the Aedes mosquitoes or Culiseta mosquitoes. The symptoms of encephalitis include high fever, stiff neck, headache, confusion and laziness/sleepiness. There are several types of encephalitis that can be transmitted by mosquitoes, including St. Louis, Western equine, Eastern equine, La Crosse and West Nile. West Nile encephalitis is on the rise in the eastern United States, which has raised concerns about mosquito control .
• Dengue Fever - Dengue fever is transmitted by the Asian tiger mosquito, which is native to East Asia and was found in the United States in 1985. It is also transmitted by Aedes aegypti in the tropics. Dengue fever is caused by a virus that produces a range of illnesses, from viral flu to hemorrhagic fever. It is especially dangerous for children (see Dengue Fever & Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever for more information).

More Here: http://science.howstuffworks.com/env...s/mosquito.htm

[Chiptox]

Birds and bats will 'just adapt'? What bullsh1t. There is no 'other prey' that they will suddenly magically learn to hunt. The 'other prey' already has natural predators that are too well adapted to their prey to be out-competed by species not so adapted. The way nature adapts is that if a prey species suddenly goes extinct, its predator goes extinct as well. Along with those birds and bats, whole species of fish and insects depend on mosquitoes as their primary food source. They will go extinct as well. New species will appear to fill the niche left by mosquitoes. It will only take a few tens of thousands of years of evolution, but it will eventually happen. That is, assuming we have not wiped out thousands of other species with kind of brazen stupidity in the meantime.

Showing an awful lot of concern for the ecosystem of a dismal malarial swamp, aren't we?

It's less damaging than spraying or draining the darn things. That's the point, to be more selective in mosquito control rather than wiping out the whole thing.