[henearkr]

Wolbachia is "healthy gut microbiota" but for mosquitoes.

It prevents their infection by many viruses.

[smt88]

It seems that it shortens their lives, so it's not healthy for them.

[henearkr]

Ah you're right.

Somehow I had in my head that it was the contrary. Probably because [I also thought that] W. increases their reproductive fitness (but yeah shortens their lifespan).

And even the reproductive fitness thing, it seems I've hallucinated it after all...

[gehwartzen]

long life riddled with parasites or somewhat shorter life sans parasites. I feel like they would be cool with it

[smt88]

Mosquitoes aren't affected by dengue. It's a human disease.

Even if they were affected by it, they don't feel pain or have emotions, so they'd "choose" to live longer.

[Smoosh]

> they don't feel pain

Really?

> We found “strong evidence” for pain experiences in adults of two orders, Diptera (flies and mosquitoes) and Blattodea (cockroaches and termites).

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S00652...

[smt88]

Reacting to harm is not the same as suffering. As far as we know, suffering requires nerves and cognition that mosquitoes don't have (not even close).

[arapacana]

yes, as far as you know from your 1-sample subjective experience of being a human being, that other beings with nervous systems don't suffer.

[deadbeeves]

Insects have nervous systems. Nearly all animals do.

[lisper]

They would choose to live longer in the same sense that water chooses to flow downhill.

[tumsfestival]

Fine with me, they can be as unhealthy as possible for all I care. Little bastards deserve the worst in life.

[miked85]

Healthy for everything else though