Mosquitoes are probably among the least popular of all of Earth's insects. Their bites can leave more than itchy red welts — they can spread devastating illnesses like malaria, yellow fever, and Zika. In fact, it has been estimated that in the last 200,000 years, 52 billion humans have died because of mosquitoes — almost 50% of every human to have ever lived. Could there be any upside to sharing the planet with our ancient, bloodsucking enemies?

Contrary to popular belief, mosquitoes don't exclusively drink blood. In fact, the primary food source for mosquitoes is actually nectar from flowers. In the marshy, wet environments where mosquitoes live and breed, they frequently pollinate small flowers that bloom overnight. While they may not have fuzzy bodies for pollen to stick to, their abdomens, faces, and even eyes can become coated in pollen. 

As described by Smithsonian, there is still a lot to learn about the role mosquitoes play as pollinators. Compared to bees and butterflies, they have rarely been studied as pollinators, but at night, researchers have found huge numbers of mosquitoes buzzing around flowers. While some species of mosquito can be deadly, their role in the world's ecosystems is only just starting to be understood.

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