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From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] =
On Behalf Of Randy Lauff
Sent: August 19, 2016 9:59 AM
To: NatureNS
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Question re mosquitoes, the Zika issue, etc.
Nancy wrote:
"I would appreciate receiving educated opinions on the usefulness (or not) =
of the mosquito."
And I question, "What does their usefulness (presumably Nancy meant, 'usefu=
l to people') matter one bit?" If they are not useful, should we eradicate =
them because they're annoying, and in some places, spread disease? Don't ge=
t me wrong, if an animal is a problem, it should be dealt with...I trap the=
mice in my house routinely, but I don't go out into the back forty and try=
do kill them all.
I cannot think of a single direct positive use of mosquitoes for us off han=
d. Indirectly, some species pollinate some flowers. One species helps pitch=
er plants to survive by helping to break down captured prey. They spread di=
sease, and this is a good thing, because disease helps to not allow species=
to become too abundant.
As Nancy mentioned, mosquitoes are a huge source of food for insectivores, =
both aquatic and terrestrial. If we were to remove all mosquitoes, all coup=
le dozen species (?) from our province, there would be massive die offs of =
first, insectivores, then the animals which rely on eating those insectivor=
es. The environment would be hugely different. And quiet.
Cheers to Mosquitoes!
Randy
_________________________________
RF Lauff
Way in the boonies of
Antigonish County, NS.
On 18 August 2016 at 17:03, N Robinson <nrobbyn@gmail.com> wrote:
Hello all,
I would appreciate receiving educated opinions on the usefulness (or not) o=
f the mosquito. I have on record a biologist who says the world would not =
miss them if they were eradicated. Now I have found a recent children's bo=
ok called Bloodsuckers, which says we need them. I am sure they serve a pu=
rpose, if only to provide an easy and abundant prey for a lot of very hungr=
y birds.
I have learned to question media reports on things like the Zika virus and =
birth defects - it is making a good excuse for introducing the new Oxitec G=
M mosquito, with Bill Gates funding behind it - what better venue than the =
Olympics to roll out that product!
FYI World Mosquito Day is coming up on August 20. It is celebrated in Grea=
t Britain to mark the discovery of the connection of the mosquito to malari=
a.
I have no specialized knowledge in any science, but would like to send a ba=
lanced reply to an article in the Montreal Gazette by a doctor who is extol=
ling the potential benefits of the new GM mosquito and who seems to be acce=
pting the media reports of the connection of the Zika virus to "birth defec=
ts". These turn out to be microencephaly and another very rare disorder wh=
ich passses; the connection so far is based on one correlational study.
Any and all opinions welcome! Don't worry, I will not quote you without yo=
ur permission.
Nancy
--
Nancy Robinson
novascotiavacation.weebly.com
www.twinski.com
514-605-7186
Home: 514-938-5249
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=3DEN-CA link=3Dblue vli=
nk=3Dpurple><div class=3DWordSection1><p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'f=
ont-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Good poin=
t, Randy, and reflects my thoughts.=C2=A0 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D=
MsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif=
";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span sty=
le=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Fr=
om an anthropocentric point of view, mosquitoes are more of a curse than a =
blessing, but from the more broadly environmental side, the question of use=
fulness can be applied to any species!=C2=A0 That might reflect badly on <i=
>Homo sapiens</i>.=C2=A0 Ouch!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><a=
name=3D"_MailEndCompose"><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cali=
bri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></a></p><p class=
=3DMsoNormal><b><span lang=3DEN-US style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"T=
ahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span lang=3DEN-US style=3D'font-size:=
10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [m=
ailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Randy Lauff<br><b>=
Sent:</b> August 19, 2016 9:59 AM<br><b>To:</b> NatureNS<br><b>Subject:</b>=
Re: [NatureNS] Question re mosquitoes, the Zika issue, etc.<o:p></o:p></sp=
an></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>=
Nancy wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><=
/div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>"<span style=3D'font-size:9.5pt'>I woul=
d appreciate receiving educated opinions on the usefulness (or not) of the =
mosquito."</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&=
nbsp;</o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:9.5=
pt'>And I question, "What does their <i>usefulness</i> (presumabl=
y Nancy meant, 'useful to people') matter one bit?" If they are not us=
eful, should we eradicate them because they're annoying, and in some places=
, spread disease? Don't get me wrong, if an animal is a problem, it should =
be dealt with...I trap the mice in my house routinely, but I don't go out i=
nto the back forty and try do kill them all.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><di=
v><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal=
><span style=3D'font-size:9.5pt'>I cannot think of a single direct positive=
use of mosquitoes for us off hand. Indirectly, some species pollinate some=
flowers. One species helps pitcher plants to survive by helping to break d=
own captured prey. They spread disease, and this is a good thing, because d=
isease helps to not allow species to become too abundant.</span><o:p></o:p>=
</p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p clas=
s=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:9.5pt'>As Nancy mentioned, mosquitoe=
s are a huge source of food for insectivores, both aquatic and terrestrial.=
If we were to remove all mosquitoes, all couple dozen species (?) from our=
province, there would be massive die offs of first, insectivores, then the=
animals which rely on eating those insectivores. The environment would be =
hugely different. And quiet.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMso=
Normal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'=
font-size:9.5pt'>Cheers to Mosquitoes!</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p c=
lass=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>Randy=
<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><br clear=3Dall><o:p><=
/o:p></p><div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>_________________________________<b=
r>RF Lauff<br>Way in the boonies of<br>Antigonish County, NS.<o:p></o:p></p=
></div></div><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=3DMsoN=
ormal>On 18 August 2016 at 17:03, N Robinson <<a href=3D"mailto:nrobbyn@=
gmail.com" target=3D"_blank">nrobbyn@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p=
><div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'>Hello all,<b=
r><br>I would appreciate receiving educated opinions on the usefulness (or =
not) of the mosquito. I have on record a biologist who says the world=
would not miss them if they were eradicated. Now I have found a rece=
nt children's book called <i>Bloodsuckers</i>, which says we need them.&nbs=
p; I am sure they serve a purpose, if only to provide an easy and abundant =
prey for a lot of very hungry birds.<br><br>I have learned to question medi=
a reports on things like the Zika virus and birth defects - it is making a =
good excuse for introducing the new Oxitec GM mosquito, with Bill Gates fun=
ding behind it - what better venue than the Olympics to roll out that produ=
ct!<br><br>FYI <b>World Mosquito Day</b> is coming up on August 20. I=
t is celebrated in Great Britain to mark the discovery of the connection of=
the mosquito to malaria. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><div><p class=3DM=
soNormal style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'>I have no specialized knowledge in =
any science, but would like to send a balanced reply to an article in the <=
i>Montreal Gazette</i> by a doctor who is extolling the potential benefits =
of the new GM mosquito and who seems to be accepting the media reports of t=
he connection of the Zika virus to "birth defects". These t=
urn out to be microencephaly and another very rare disorder which passses;&=
nbsp; the connection so far is based on one correlational study. <br><br>An=
y and all opinions welcome! Don't worry, I will not quote you without=
your permission.<br><br>Nancy<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNorma=
l><span style=3D'color:#888888'>-- <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div><div><di=
v><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'color:#888888'>Nancy Robinson<o:=
p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'color:#88=
8888'><a href=3D"http://novascotiavacation.weebly.com" target=3D"_blank">no=
vascotiavacation.weebly.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=3DMsoNo=
rmal><span style=3D'color:#888888'><a href=3D"http://www.twinski.com" targe=
t=3D"_blank">www.twinski.com</a><br><a href=3D"tel:514-605-7186" target=3D"=
_blank">514-605-7186</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNorm=
al><span style=3D'color:#888888'>Home: <a href=3D"tel:514-938-5249" t=
arget=3D"_blank">514-938-5249</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></=
div></div></div></div></div><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div=
></div><br />
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