Professor of Entomology at the University of Ilorin, Adeolu Ande has warned against killing of mosquitoes.
In a paper he presented at a public seminar organised by the university on Monday, Ande said that humans had a lot to learn from insects.
He said: “Human life is beset with inevitable associations with insects that have over the years influenced human destiny positively and negatively.
“Negative influences, such as disease transmission, crop losses, food spoilage, economic losses and nuisance value caused by less than 5 per cent of insect species have been exaggerated by man”.
Ande said that positive influences of insects were pollination of flowers, waste recycling, sustenance of the ecosystem, include source of silk, shellac, cochineal, therapeutic agents, aesthetics, biological control agents and food source.
The don added that “In the actual sense, mosquitoes are equally sick but inadvertently and unwillingly convey pathogens that are the real causal agents of these diseases.
“The female mosquito could be described as an example of a true mother who is forced to undertake suicide mission in its bid to provide for its unborn children.
“The adult female mosquitoes have exceptional value for child raising hence the level of commitment and risk they take on the mission that entails decision between life and death.
“The after effect of this commitment is a well thought out plan that forestalls most of the factors that may stand in the way of raising good children.
“I am sure most human females will not take comparable decision in the face of similar attendant risks.
“It is however certain that children born after well thought out and risky conditions are better posited for quality living than those produced carelessly.
“Mosquitoes have proved over the years that they are our friends and if we like them or not, they would exist and continue to source blood from humans”.
