Our field crew is working in the extensive wetlands surrounding Alamosa, CO and we've noticed something interesting: there are no mosquitoes in or near Alamosa.
This is because the city sprays for them regularly. We're not complaining... but we have also noticed fewer grasshoppers, bees, and frogs than we might otherwise expect. Are these (and other) species directly affected by the insecticide (which chemicals are used post-DDT?) and/or are mosquitoes ecologically important -- even keystone -- species? What happens when you remove a parasite from the foodweb? Our field crew is, among other things, cataloging the vegetation in the area -- could we expect to see e.g. fewer flowering plants? Anything else we could look for? Is anyone doing research on this quasi-Silent Spring phenomenon or know more about the possible ramifications of parasite/pest control?
