The Devil’s Greatest Masterpiece

    All have heard it, and all have hated it. The piercing whine of these miniscule vampires travels through the air, assaulting the ears and distracting the senses. A sense of loathing fills the heart as the terrible noise’s source becomes clear. The tiny wings flap over 300 times per second, carrying their lightweight bodies through the air. The takeoff is nearly imperceptible to their prey, with the only indication of their presence being the characteristic whine. After they stealthily complete their mission, the prey is left blissfully unaware of their presence for just a few minutes. Then, the itching and swelling begin, not quick enough to notify of the danger, but soon enough that you realize your mistake before the day is through. The plague of mosquitoes throughout the world is something I could happily live without.

As an avid fan of hiking, I know these pests well, and have likely contributed to the birth of many mosquitoes. Even when taking precautions such as bug spray or long clothing, they still manage to find a way to infiltrate and commit their dastardly deed. Upon returning from the adventure, I will often find myself covered in bites in the most curious places. How a mosquito manages to travel to my ankle through my sock is something I will never understand. Upon reaching their target, mosquitoes carry out their selfish plan with unnecessary cruelty. After stabbing the skin and locating a capillary, they inject a protein cocktail to numb the skin and ensure blood flow. This anesthetic is not a kindness, but rather the weapon of an evolved parasite, designed specifically to ensure the mosquito is not interrupted during its session. Quickly after the injection, an allergic reaction with the proteins occurs, causing the red bumps and painful itching so many are familiar with.

It may seem to some that it is “unnecessary” to hate such a tiny creature with such a great passion, however the truth is that their cruelty extends far beyond their tiny size. As the perfect host for a variety of diseases and parasites, the mosquito is an active carrier for illnesses that kill up to a million people (mostly children) per year. Malaria is a leading cause of death in Africa, a situation made exceptionally bad because of the poor healthcare availability in this region. This is reason enough to call for their extermination, but alas, there is more. In northern regions like Canada and Alaska, mosquitoes are present in unimaginable numbers. Their feeding season is almost perfectly aligned with the time of birth for many species of wildlife. Swarms of mosquitoes often assault this wildlife, presenting a lethal threat to young animals such as caribou. Their presence in such numbers is an assault on every sense, turning a beautiful part of the world into an incredibly hostile environment.

In truth, I don’t think that I truly understand the scale of pain that these parasites cause. In my location, they do not prevent such an extreme problem, often serving as an annoyance rather than a threat. To me, mosquitoes are not an issue often worth considering, and their cruelty can often get pushed aside. I think it is important to understand and be aware of serious problems such as this. It becomes too easy to be disconnected from issues that affect so many around the world when you don’t need to deal with them yourself. This disconnect extends far beyond mosquitoes and is present for many issues that seem far off or are just a statistic. A greater awareness of global problems helps people to empathise with those affected and try to make positive change. This original plan for this essay was to just hate on mosquitoes, but by exploring this topic myself, I feel that I have more empathy for the people affected by mosquitoes. Their existence is certainly something we would be better off without.