[cestith]

This is also balanced by the fact that as far as we know, most any mosquito can fill most of the same roles in the food chains. We're mostly concerned with wiping out the few species that feed on humans and our pets/livestock. We could eradicate two or three species which carry West Nile, Malaria, Zika, Chickungunya, and a few other really bad diseases of humans, dogs, cats, songbirds, horses, and cattle that are spread by mosquitoes. Other species would still lay eggs, hatch, and get eaten or reproduce normally without threat to us.

[btilly]

Also note that despite the technique being proven in the lab, and the fact that mosquitoes kill a half-million people per year, we have not yet pulled the trigger and done it. Exactly for fear of the potential ecological consequences.

[cestith]

That, too. Good point.

BTW, thanks for all your time on PerlMonks and here. I didn't even notice who I was replying to the first time.