Green Options

If you could declare a home town of evolution it would be the Galapagos Islands. Back in 1835 a sea sick young naturalist, Charles Darwin, landed on the Galapagos to conduct a little research. That research was the genesis of Darwin’s seminal work “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.” Darwin was inspired by the grand variety of animals filling specific niches on the islands.

Now tourism is threatening to wipe out the animals which inspired one of the most important works in all of science. This time, for once, humans are not the main bad guy in this story. Although, as often the case, humans are involved unwittingly. When humans visit the island, they don’t realize they are bringing along a stowaway. Mosquitoes. The oft-maligned disease ridden scourge of the world.

The sting of a mosquito bite is something most people try to avoid.  But scientists in Europe have come up with an unusual method for delivering a vaccine to human beings.  In a recent study, live mosquitoes were used to deliver live malaria parasites through their bites!

The Galapagos form of the black salt marsh mosquito has changed its diet to prefer reptile blood instead of feeding on mammals and birds. This discovery has some scientists fearing the introduction of a new mosquito-borne disease which could devastate the Galapagos native wildlife.

A white fungus is devastating the bats of Connecticut and other Northeastern states.

Mosquito biting human, by Matti Parkkonen : (Wikimedia Commons)Editor's note: This week, Lighter Footstep editor Chris Baskind shares some ways to keep the mosquitoes at bay this summer. This post was originally published on May 10, 2007.

With an unusually mild winter and record high spring temperatures across North America and Europe, 2007 is shaping up as a boom time for mosquitoes.

Don't even

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