Michigan Forest Life - May 24, 2026

Good morning friends,

The sun arrived this morning without color. I opened my eyes in the pre-dawn darkness to watch, hoping for a sliver of orange or pink on the horizon, but the sky simply lightened to a foggy gray (Photo 1). The birds did not care. They joyfully welcomed a new day with enthusiastic chirps strung together in songs of the morning. The music of the wilds. 

The thermometer reads 48°F. Chilly mornings bring with them a kind of charm. For one thing, mosquitos don't begin their activity in the forest until the temperature reaches the low 50°s. 

Spring rains, which were particularly intense this year, have left low spots in the forest with standing water, which has brought on an equally intense crop of mosquitos. The mechanisms of nature at work. If the air is still and the temperature above 75°F, clouds of mosquitos seek out their targets. 

So, what is there that is redemptive about the mosquito?

Mosquitos are actually an important part of the food chain (I keep telling myself that). Their larvae and eggs provide an important food source for fish, amphibians, and other insects. Adults mosquitos become sustenance for plenty of creatures (often taken for granted); birds, bats, snakes, frogs, etc.. 

You might imagine that creatures eating mosquitos are not so important - creatures we could do without. Are they worth the mosquito annoyance? Get rid of the mosquitos, and the things down the food chain that depend on them. Do we really need the critters that depend on mosquitos? Why bats? Why snakes? Why birds? Why fish? There is no end to that. Why humans?

I am told that only female mosquitos bite mammals, seeking protein needed for their eggs. Male mosquitos are actually pollinators, feeding on nectar from a variety of flowers. Perhaps we can also get along without those flowers, or maybe something less pesky will pollinate them. It is a slippery slope.

Mosquitos are probably more important to the environment and ecosystem than we realize. Down the line, more important to humans than we would like to believe. Many things have proven to be that way.

Of course, the other side of the coin is malaria, dengue fever, etc.. It is frightening that a single mosquito can bring down a large mammal - an adult human.

The way I see it, the world needs mosquitos, but for now we can do with a few less ... the ones around me. ...and the ones around you. But always remember that we share this planet with other living things. Humans are just another living thing on the planet. There are swarms of us, like the mosquito.

It is a good time for long sleeves, long pants, a hat, and an application of repellant. And, perhaps, carry in your pocket a few good cuss words to direct at mosquitos that seem to be hunting you.

Meanwhile, there are those who claim the mosquito as Michigan's state bird.

I wish you a lovely day in a world that we share with other living things - a mostly mosquito-free day.

Until next time,

Dan