There are a couple of things I dread in April:
Allergies
The gloomy weather
The almost end of school year but not quite there yet
Mosquitoes
There's a reason it's bold, italicized, AND underlined.
I feel like I'm a literal mosquito magnet. They just like me. I could be sitting around five other people, but the little bugger there will only bite me.
Gotta be honest though, I can't blame them. My blood tastes pretty good, and don't call me weird because I know some of you have tried your own.
Another really annoying thing is when you're sleeping, and you hear that little "zzz" zip right past your ear. Like oh my god! Just let me sleep!
Usually, in that scenario, I cover myself up completely in my blankets out of the fear of getting bitten and feeling itches (I have no self-control when it comes to itching), but it comes at the cost of getting really sweaty so I just end up taking the bites.
I'm getting ready to take the SAT soon, so I've been going to this test prep center over the summer.
I asked my friend Eli, "Have you ever just wanted to take all the mosquitoes in the world, magically stuff them all inside a jar, seal it, and throw it in a volcano?"
Well, of course, Eli said no because who thinks of a plan that specific? But he obviously hates them like me and like you.
But maybe they aren't so bad. It's been said that mosquitoes' only purpose is to annoy humans but that obviously isn't true. They annoy cows too.
Jokes aside, while these pesky little insects seem to be the pets of the devil, they still do some good for us.
The annoying insects are important aspects of the food web, serving as prey in both winged adults and aquatic life forms. Moreover, a lot of other wildlife from dragonflies and turtles to bats and birds munch on mosquitoes for breakfast.
Additionally, it's a common misconception that all mosquitoes bite humans. In reality, out of the estimated 3,500 different types of mosquitoes around the world, only a few hundred directly interact with us. Eradicating all of them would be... definitely overkill.
It's like having the teacher punish the whole class for the wrongdoings of a single student. Pretty unfair.
Also, believe it or not, mosquitoes are pollinators. In fact, mosquitoes' primary food source is flower nectar, not blood. Just like bees or butterflies, mosquitoes transfer pollen from flower to flower as they feed on nectar, fertilizing plants and allowing them to form seeds and reproduce. It’s only when a female mosquito lays eggs does she seek a blood meal.
And obviously, that's a damn good reason to bite some humans. Life is all about reproducing –– furthering the existence of your species! As humans, if our method of reproduction was through some blood, we would 100% do it (or else we would like... die). Mother nature made 'em this way. It wasn't their choice.
So you know what? Yes, mosquitoes are one of the most deadly animals in the world, killing hundreds of thousands of people a year, but it's not the mosquitoes' fault for reproducing by being blood-sucking villains.
Don't hate the player, hate the game. (Ok, maybe you can hate the player just a little bit).
Side note: What if mosquitoes were actually like Mooseblood (the mosquito in the Bee Movie)?
I mean, that guy is so chill. If all mosquitos were like that (and if I could talk to them), I'd probably be friends with them.
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