评论
打印
Did you know there are over 60 different types of mosquitoes that are found in Western Sydney?
你可知道，在西雪梨就有超过六十种不同的蚊子？
So it's not just that one mosquito that you slap on your arm and squash; they're an incredibly diverse and interesting range of animals.
不只是停在你手臂上被你打死的那一种，这种动物的种类非常多样化且有趣。
There's 60 different types across Western Sydney.
在西雪梨有六十种不同的蚊子。
These mosquitoes might be big, they might be small.
有的蚊子很大，有的很小。
They might be black with distinctively striped legs.
有的是黑色，脚上有明显的条纹。
They might be a pale brown color.
有的是沙黄色，
Or they might be a really vibrant orange color.
也有非常亮的橘色。
But one of the things I love about all of these mosquitoes is that they're very unique, they've adapted to very different types of environment.
关于蚊子，我最爱的其中一点是它们非常独特，能适应非常不同类型的环境。
It’s one of the reasons that I like them, because they’re incredibly adaptive.
这是我喜欢它们的原因之一，因为它们适应力超强。
But it’s also the thing that worries me about them, because they could be adapting to these sources of water we're creating around our cities.
但这也是我会担心蚊子的原因之一，因为它们可能会适应我们为城市创造的这些水源。
So mosquitoes are found in an incredibly wide range of environments, from coastal rock pools to snowmelt streams in our Alpine regions, from polluted drains to pristine wetlands and almost every puddle of water in between.
所以，在很多不同的环境中都可以找到蚊子，从海岸岩池到阿尔卑斯山区融雪产生的溪流，从被污染的排水道，到原始的湿地，以及几乎是介于两者之间的所有水坑。
There are mosquitoes found in all of these environments.
在所有这些环境中都能找到蚊子。
And understanding how the mosquitoes interact with these environments and the climate is really important to understand how they might play a role in outbreaks of disease.
了解蚊子如何与这些环境及气候互动非常重要，可协助了解它们在疾病爆发中可能扮演的角色。
But all of these mosquitoes essentially need two things: they need blood and they need water.
但，基本上，这些蚊子需要两样东西：它们需要血，牠们也需要水。
So I'll get to the blood in a little while, but let me talk to you about why water is really important for mosquitoes.
我等一下会谈到血，先让我谈谈为什么水对蚊子很重要。
The humble mossie is a really frail and fragile creature. Looks like it'll fall apart in a strong breeze.
卑微的蚊子是很虚弱且脆弱的生物，彷彿会在强风当中解体。
It's hard to imagine these are the most dangerous animals on the planet.
很难想像它们是地球上最危险的动物。
But these animals kind of rely on water; they've got an amazing life cycle that starts in the water.
但这些动物需要仰赖水；它们惊人的生命循环始于水中。
They need water.
它们需要水。
So eggs are laid in and around sources of water, and then, when it rains, or tides come into the wetlands, these eggs hatch, and out of these eggs hatch these wormlike larvae that swim around in the water.
所以卵会产在水源中以及水源附近，接着，下雨时，或潮水进入湿地时，这些卵会孵化，孵出像虫一样的幼虫，在水中游来游去。
Maybe you’ve seen them in puddles or your pot plant saucers.
也许各位曾经在水坑或放盆栽的垫盘中看过它们。
Or maybe, as I did as a child, if you're a bit slow to clean your backyard swimming pool when warmer weather arrives, all of a sudden, you can see these mosquitoes swimming around at the top of the water.
或者像我小时候，如果你清理后院游泳池的进度有点缓慢，天气变暖时，突然间，你就会看到蚊子在水面上游来游去。
But during summer, it might only take a week or so for them to emerge from that water and start flying around.
但，在夏天，只要一个星期左右它们就会从水中跑出来，开始飞来飞去。
They only live for a few weeks, but during that time, they can bite a lot of people, and they can lay more than a thousand eggs.
它们的寿命只有几个星期，但在这段时间内，它们能叮咬很多人，且它们能产下超过一千个卵。
But to get those eggs, they need blood.
但它们需要血才能产卵。
Mosquitoes need blood, that's why they bite.
蚊子需要血，所以它们才会叮咬。
It's only the female mosquito that bites, and she needs that protein hit in her blood to develop her eggs.
只有母蚊子会叮咬，母蚊子需要血液中的大量蛋白质，才能产卵。
They can live quite happily on plant juices and sugars, most of the time, but they really need that blood to develop eggs.
通常，蚊子靠植物汁液和糖份就能活得很快乐。但它们一定要血液才能产卵。
And the animals they can get that blood from can be incredibly varied, from cows and kangaroos to birds to frogs.
且它们可以从各式各样的动物身上取得必要的血液，从牛和袋鼠，到鸟和青蛙。
But also us.
还有我们。
And I know some of us in this room, you're probably thinking, "Boy, mosquitoes sure like to bite me more than they like to bite my friends."
我知道在座可能有人在想：“啊，蚊子超爱叮我，就没那么爱叮我的朋友。”
And sometimes, we can be a bit unlucky like that.
有时，我们就是这样运气不好。
But it's also important to remember that mosquitoes, when they bite, can not only create an itchy red lump on our skin, but they can also make us sick.
但，很重要的是要记住，被蚊子叮时，不仅是皮肤上会出现很痒的红色肿块，也有可能会生病。
They can transmit pathogens that make us sick.
它们可能会传染病原体，让我们生病。
But mosquitoes aren’t flying around, transferring droplets of infected blood from person to person.
但蚊子并不会飞来飞去将受感染的血滴从人传给人。
These are not dirty syringes; they’re much more complicated organisms.
它们不是不干净的注射器；它们是有机体，复杂得多。
So the mosquitoes themselves have to become infected with the pathogen before they can pass that on to us.
蚊子自己本身必须要先被病原体感染，然后才有可能传给我们。
And when it comes to pathogen transmission, not all mosquitoes are created equal.
在病原体传染这方面，蚊子并非生而平等。
It's why it's really important to understand mosquitoes, because even though we have dozens of mosquitoes here in Sydney that could transmit something like Ross River virus, there are no mosquitoes currently in Sydney that can transmit the pathogens that cause more serious diseases, things like dengue, chikungunya or Zika.
这就是为什么了解蚊子十分重要，因为虽然在雪梨有数十种蚊子能传染罗斯河病毒，但目前在雪梨没有任何蚊子会传染造成更严重疾病的病原体，比如登革热、屈公病，或兹卡病毒。
Let's hope it stays that way.
希望能持续下去。
So what does a green city look like for a mosquito?
所以，对蚊子而言，绿色城市是什么样子的？
So first of all, there are trees that provide shade, protection from wind and sun ...
首先，有树木，能提供阴影，阻挡风和太阳……
It provides these kind of protected, humid little areas, where mosquitoes can take refuge.
它们能提供这种有保护又潮湿的小区域，能成为蚊子的庇护所。
The longer mosquitoes live, the more people they bite, the more eggs they lay.
蚊子活得越久，就会叮咬越多人，就会产下更多卵。
