Release the Mosquitoes!

POSTED BY: Eric
UPDATED: Sunday, February 8, 2009 14:53
VIEWED: 2174
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WHOZIT

Sunday, February 8, 2009 2:09 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by dreamtrove:
Oh, there's a whole host of problems with the prank, I mean some people are allergic to mosquitoes.

But you got to admit that took balls of steel. He saw a fixable problem that wasn't being dealt with and he got people's attention. Hats off, Bill.

OK it took BALLS, great big sweaty BALLS. BALLS so big they were scary. I wish I had as big as BALLS has Gate's did. Balls Balls Balls Balls Balls Balls! I want big BALLS!!!!!! GOD! Give me big BALLS!!

PIRATENEWS

Sunday, February 8, 2009 3:04 AM

UN Biowar Labs will mass-produce the skeeters to unleash on the 3rd World and Florida. Again.

DREAMTROVE

Sunday, February 8, 2009 3:16 AM

Quote:

DDT as a deterrent to 'squitos would be a great idea, actually.

Biochemistry, it's one of my strong suits. That said, you're more likely to convince me of this than of the 9/11 thing.

My issues are

1. it's mega toxic and will kill everything, not just mosquitoes
2. mosquitoes in africa reproduce at an appalling rate, which would make it moot to kill them at all.
3. any pesticide is going to selectively kill the large less populous critters, and you could wind up with an increase in the mosquito population.

So, sure, imho, I don't think it would do it. But possibly. I'd want to see a full environmental impact study, and some real demonstrations of safety an efficacy.

The used it here for decades, and the place is still loaded with mosquitoes. My take would be on the other end. There is a program out there to make mosquitoes immune to the disease. If that doesn't work, screw the mosquitoes, protect humans from the disease. I think we are already able to do that. Trying to manipulate a mosquito population, of which there are about a trillion, is far worse than herding cats. IMHO.

DREAMTROVE

Sunday, February 8, 2009 3:19 AM

Quote:

UN Biowar Labs will mass-produce the skeeters to unleash on the 3rd World and Florida. Again.

Never thought I'd say this to anyone, but John, you might being too paranoid. Feel free to battle for this one. If you want to argue the case the WHO is pro-malaria, you might have a case, but like any other, you gotta back it up, it can't come outta left field.

WHOZIT

Sunday, February 8, 2009 3:29 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by dreamtrove:
Quote:

UN Biowar Labs will mass-produce the skeeters to unleash on the 3rd World and Florida. Again.

Never thought I'd say this to anyone, but John, you might being too paranoid. Feel free to battle for this one. If you want to argue the case the WHO is pro-malaria, you might have a case, but like any other, you gotta back it up, it can't come outta left field.

No, I'm pro-balls, Balls Balls Balls Balls Balls Balls Balls Balls Balls Balls.

WHOZIT

Sunday, February 8, 2009 3:31 AM

Big Balls!

FREMDFIRMA

Sunday, February 8, 2009 3:42 AM

Channeling AC/DC there, Zit ?

I dunno if DDT is the answer, why not find out what eats most of the mosquitoes in those areas and encourage some population growth.

I do believe that regionally the most voracious predator of skeeters is bats, which of course have their own issues, but once the skeeter population decreases so will the bats, unless some nimrod from greenpeace decides to play 'who swallowed a fly'.
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/oldlady.htm
They're idiots that way, you know.

Alternatively, you could send Batman.

-F

DREAMTROVE

Sunday, February 8, 2009 4:29 AM

Skeeter eaters, and I'm sure they have plenty.

Predator approach doesn't work. The population naturally decreases to subsistence level. That's why the mice always win. If the mouse population drops off, the cat population collapses. Taking a broader definition of mouse here to include all of its edible vole relatives. As soon as the cat population drops, the mouse population zips back up, faster 'n you can say "Here kitty kitty."

The dumbest idea ever: Some group of scientists genetically engineered mosquitoes who could not breed. They had the idea at the dawn of genetic engineering, and it took them 27 years to do it successfully. They made 150 replicant mosquitoes and released them into the wild. Where they didn't breed. Among the trillions already out there, they attracted little attention. The best part: The scientists said that in 27 years it never occurred to them that the mosquitoes failure to breed would prevent them from passing on the sterility gene.

I figure, either these guys were living large off some grant, or we hired these guys...

PHOENIXROSE

Sunday, February 8, 2009 9:28 AM

There are several fish that eat mosquito larvae, a bunch of fish artificially introduced in the right places might be able to cut the problem some. I thought I heard, years ago, about some aquatic plant or algae that had a smothering effect on mosquito larvae as well, but I can't find reference to it now so I could well be mistaken. The fish are a definite, though. Just wipe those little buggers out at the source!
You know, I have to say, I'm all about balance and ecology and those things needed for the food chain to stay intact, but... I really hate mosquitos and I want them all to die. They spread disease, and itchy misery, and the only purpose they serve might be as a food source. Birds and fish can eat other things, dammit.

[/sig]

CITIZEN

Sunday, February 8, 2009 10:44 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by dreamtrove:

1. it's mega toxic and will kill everything, not just mosquitoes
2. mosquitoes in africa reproduce at an appalling rate, which would make it moot to kill them at all.
3. any pesticide is going to selectively kill the large less populous critters, and you could wind up with an increase in the mosquito population.

I thought the WHO were using DDT in Africa, but the treatments weren't particularly effective. They'd kill Mosquitoes in one area, but if they stopped they'd come back, and spraying had little to no effect on the overall numbers, while killing the Dragonflies that are their predators. As I understand it that's why the WHO stopped doing it, because it didn't work, and was costing a fortune.

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

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