Discussion of the complete genocide of an entire species is, predictably, not entirely devoid of controversy--but that doesn't mean there isn't a discussion. Earlier this year an article was published in Nature which posited that the complete eradication of the mosquito could be achieved without severe damage to the ecosystem. Unsurprisingly, it caused a major stir, with commenters enraged at what they took to be a somewhat cavalier attitude to the complete death of a species. As much as mosquitoes are one of the more annoying and certainly one of the deadliest animals (as regards humanity, of course), they are not without their uses. They provide food sources for a variety of birds, spiders, frogs, and other creatures (including our noble and threatened friend, the bat ), which in turn are food for bigger and oftentimes more cuddly animals. They serve as pollinators for a number of plant species, and without their services, the decrease in plant life would then have further ripples in the biosphere.