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Mosquitoes are Thriving in Global Warming
Global warming has placed countless species of animals and plant life in danger of falling off of the face of the Earth. As water levels rise and drought becomes more prevalent, available resources diminish and it becomes more difficult for animals to thrive, but this general statement does come with its exceptions. The small flying mosquito has followed in the trends of other pest like creatures and has actually become more prevalent throughout the world as global warming creates a hotter planet.
Changes in climate brought about by global warming have been ideal for the breeding of mosquitoes. It is becoming more and more common for areas to experience long spells of dry, hot weather and it is during extended dry periods that mosquitoes breed most successfully. Seeing as global warming has dramatically extended these dry periods and that mosquitoes have been noted to breed at higher rates and faster speeds in warmer temperatures, the ability for mosquitoes to thrive during global warming is made obvious. During hot months, mosquitoes find small sources of standing water and breed at tremendous rates. They are able to feed on local bird and small animal populations that are forced to seek out these water sources to drink. Such as the case in many areas of the United States and other parts of the world, long dry months are accompanied by a singular period of heavy downpour. It is this increase in available standing water that allows for even more mosquitoes to breed. It is from this point that mosquito populations begin to torment human populations.
Warming temperatures create a hotbed for mosquito breeding, which in turn increases the spread of disease. Worldwide, mosquitoes are known carriers of a variety of diseases, including malaria, West Nile virus, yellow fever and dengue fever. During the early 2000s, mosquito populations in the United States reached record high numbers because of global warming. As a result the nation became subject to the West Nile virus, where thousands were infected and over a hundred died. In other parts of the world, primarily Sub-Sahara Africa, mosquitoes are responsible for infecting more than 225 million people a year with malaria and are the cause of thousands of deaths. Scientists fear that the presence and spread of mosquito borne diseases will only increase as global warming makes the world more fit for mosquito breeding conditions.
Global warming has allowed the mosquito to have a new found dominance. Throughout the world, mosquitoes are breeding faster and at higher rates than in previous years. Unlike other creatures, mosquitoes are taking advantage of the man made issue of global warming. Unfortunately, the success of mosquitoes is a detrimental force for human populations. Increased mosquito populations have led to an increase in the spread of mosquito born diseases such as malaria and have led to many national health scares, such as the West Nile virus pandemic. Thriving mosquito populations are bad news for the world and the spread of disease and death that has resulted is only a precursor of what is to come if global warming is not subsided.
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