Popular science | the increase in small flying insects by Jinyang Lake, which is annoying, and it turned out to be harmless "shaking mosquitoes"

Recently, some tourists have reported that with the warmer weather, the number of flying insects by Jinyang Lake has increased. So, what exactly are these disturbing "flying insects" and are they harmful to the human body? Why brush up on "presence" every spring? On March 15, the staff of Jinyang Lake Park made a science popularization of this.

These small flying insects, called the rocking mosquito, are a type of mosquito, a common aquatic insect, widely distributed in waters around the world, and their larvae live in the water and feed on plankton in the water. Unlike the general blood-sucking mosquito, it feeds on plant sap and is not harmful to the human body. Because it is a close relative of mosquitoes, it belongs to a different family from ordinary mosquitoes and prefers to live in humid environments such as lakes, ponds, swamps, and river streams. Mosquitoes are not aggressive to humans. On the contrary, the emergence of the mosquito is a good proof of the water ecosystem in the water. Mosquito larvae mainly feed on the detritus of underwater organic matter, and the amount of food intake is considerable, so it has a significant role in accelerating the mineralization of organic matter in the material circulation of water bodies and eliminating organic matter pollution, and is a link in the food chain of fish and shrimp in water bodies.

So why do they like to get together "in groups"? It turns out that the swaggering mosquitoes fly in groups after taking off is a manifestation of the habit of marriage and flying. Male adults dance in large groups in the early morning or dusk, and female adults are attracted to the group and mate. The breeding cycle is 5 to 10 days, and the life cycle is 1 month to 3 months, so it is a normal natural phenomenon that a large number of rocking mosquitoes appear during the breeding period every year.

In order to reduce the disturbance of mosquitoes, Jinyang Lake Park has increased the protection of the lake area and prohibited artificial fishing. According to the staff, the larvae of the mosquitoes are good bait for carp, crucian carp, bluefish and other fish, and the reduction of the number of these fish will destroy the food chain and ecological balance, and the number of rocking mosquitoes will rise sharply. At the same time, in order to protect the fish in the water from drug damage, the park installed anti-mosquito lamps in the area along the lake and hung sticky mosquito boards for harmless physical control. The survival rate of larvae to adults is also reduced by stirring the lake water. The staff reminded that when the majority of tourists play near the shore of the lake, wear masks to prevent mosquito harassment. When encountering them in parks, underground garages, lakes and other places, they should also be treated with a "dialectical" eye, as a link in the ecological chain of the environment, the mosquito also plays a certain role. (Sun Dajia)

Source: Taiyuan Daily