Mosquitoes dine on plastic; you may be next

Young mosquitoes that eat even small pieces of plastic could be contaminating other insects and mammals, according to new research. Authors of a paper published in The Royal Society journal Biology Letters on Wednesday found that when a mosquito larva eats microplastic, that plastic can remain in the insect’s body into adulthood. The microplastic could then be transferred to whatever might eat that mosquito, including birds. The U.K. researchers conducted their study in a lab, but they say it’s not a stretch to think that plastic could move up the food chain in this way. The microplastics used in the study were small latex beads, and authors noted smaller beads transferred more easily than larger beads into the mosquito’s adult stage. “One of the next steps will be to sample lakes with plastics and mosquitoes to measure this,” said. Microplastic is common in waterways worldwide. Even arctic ice is choked with the pollutant. In an effort to reduce microplastics, some countries, along with areas of the United States and the U.K., have banned microbeads found in toothpastes, face scrubs and shower gels.

GETTY IMAGES Research shows microplastics eaten by mosquitoes could harm those higher on the food chain.