After mating, the female mosquito stores the sperm in a
special pouch and can lay the fertilised eggs over a period of weeks.
The female starts drinking blood from the time of mating, as blood is
essential for the development of the eggs.
On examination of these characteristics, the miracle in the mosquito takes on a new direction.
The miraculous eggs that can halt their development
Animals are able to perform with surprising ease many
things that would seem impossible for man to achieve. For example, a
human pregnancy cannot be prolonged, but certain creatures are able to
do this. One such creature is the mosquito. Even though the time to lay
the eggs has come, some mosquitoes lay their eggs not after the first
rain, but after the second or third. This prudence is a way of
protecting the mosquitoes’ progeny.
There is an important reason for mosquitoes delaying the laying of
their eggs. There is a high probability of the moisture and puddles left
by the first rain drying up in a short time. This means that the larvae
would be left on dry ground and so would be unable to develop. This is
only a probability, but the mosquito acts as though it has prior
knowledge of this probability and behaves with great wisdom. It is not
taken in by the first rain, but waits for the next downpour.
This situation brings several questions to mind:
How does the mosquito know that the moisture content of the ground
may not be adequate after the first rain and that the puddles may dry up
in a short time? In order for the mosquito to take such a precaution,
it should be aware of the effect of evaporation and say to itself: “This
is just the first rain and in time the water in the earth and on its
surface will evaporate, so I should wait a bit longer to lay my eggs.”
The mosquito cannot acquire this knowledge through experience, for at
the first trial the eggs would dry up and the new generation would be
wiped out. For the success of the species, the mosquito must have some
knowledge on the subject, but it is obvious that it cannot acquire this
by itself.
Such examples are given to help better understand the situation, but
as has already been mentioned, the mosquito has no capacity for
learning. Nevertheless, the mosquito makes an extremely appropriate and
far-sighted decision, which saves the lives of the next generation.
At this point it is worth dwelling on a very important question. How is
knowledge passed on from generation to generation? If the newborn in
question were a human being, its education would take years. Everything
it knows would be taken from the experience of life and education gained
after birth. However, every female mosquito, whose entire life consists
of only a few weeks, has the knowledge it needs from the very beginning
of its life. Who taught it this knowledge? On whose orders do
mosquitoes act?
Although these questions on the breeding of mosquitoes are of little
interest to most people, the answer constitutes a very important
subject, which is of interest to everyone.
The mosquito, in common with all other living creatures, acts on the
inspiration of God, Lord of the heavens and the Earth. This is the only
true answer. Every living creature including man is under the control of
God, whether or not it is aware of this. This is expressed as follows
in a verse of the Qur’an:
“I have put my trust in God, my Lord and your Lord. There is
no living creature on Earth whose destiny He does not control. Straight
is the path of my Lord.” (Qur’an, 11:56)
Managing to survive difficult times…
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in the summer months or in autumn. The
temperature of the place they find to lay their eggs is an important
factor in the development of the larvae. Development is speeded up when a
certain temperature is reached (minimum 10°C [50°F], maximum 30°C
[86°F]), and if these limits are exceeded, development slows down or the
larvae die.
Although the larvae are vulnerable, the eggs are quite resilient to
drought and cold. If the right conditions are not available, the eggs
can wait for rain and rising temperatures without cracking.
You have just read this sentence and if you are an observant person, you
must have noticed the mention of the fact that “the eggs can wait
without cracking.” Although their time has come to hatch, the eggs can
wait without cracking…
If the right conditions are not available, the eggs’ development is
halted. This is not a kind of death, but just a precaution taken until
conditions improve. This delayed action, which is usually seen at the
egg stage, is referred to as “diapause.”
At times when there is not enough moisture and heat for the eggs to
grow, they stop developing and can keep for years without spoiling.
There is a kind of heat-moisture safety fuse in the eggs. When the
conditions are wrong, the fuse blows and the egg’s development programme
is put on hold.
Actually it is not quite right to call this “stopping the programme,”
because waiting for the right conditions is part of the programme.
(This little creature said to contain a programme is approximately 1 mm
[0.04 inch] in length-about the size of the point of a pencil.)
Whatever source you look at on this subject, the result is the same;
it is agreed that the embryos act in accordance with a programme. This
is a development programme, which takes place in the abdomen of the
mother or in the egg, and in one respect resembles a computer programme.
All the details of the programme are written into DNA molecules
contained in the cell nucleus.
The differences between a mosquito and a human or an elephant and a
parrot arise from this different programming in the cells. At first
glance there seems to be little difference between a newly fertilised
animal cell and a newly fertilised human cell. But each cell divides
strictly according to the programme written into it. Living species
emerge as a result of these cell divisions. In the mosquito too the
commands of this programme are obeyed and if necessary the development
of the eggs is halted.
The genetic details of all living creatures are coded in the DNA
of their cells. Also in the case of humans, all details relating to the
colour of the eyes and hair, height, structure of the internal organs
and skin colour are coded in the DNA. This is only one example of the
evidence of God’s perfect creation. |
At this point something should be explained: How has
this embryonic programme been created? Who makes the programme and tells
the embryo how to act?
Each one of the cells making up the embryo complies with the programme and acts jointly to stop the development.
If there is a programme, there must be a programming intelligence
that wrote it. It is inconceivable to claim that even the simplest
computer programme wrote itself, that is to say, as a result of
information coming together by chance. In that case, of course, it is
far more unreasonable to claim that an embryonic programme as yet
unsolved by the human mind could have been produced as a result of
coincidence.
There is only one explanation for this extraordinary event. It is
because all the cells act on the inspiration of God that they can make
such conscious moves.
Let us now leave the subject of the halting of the mosquito egg’s
development and return to the subject of waiting for a suitable
environment.
This feature is of vital importance from the perspective of
continuation of the species. For example, one variety of desert mosquito
lays thick-skinned eggs that can crack after a period of one or two
years. These eggs survive for years without spoiling and then split open
for the larvae inside to continue their development as though nothing
unusual has happened.
Due to this resilience, mosquitoes can be found in almost every part
of the world. Mosquitoes can live in places where the arctic temperature
falls to -60°C (-76°F), in the humid, hot and airless atmosphere of
mines, or in deserts where, apart from two or three wells, there is no
other water supply for miles.
In the north of Iceland at the Arctic Circle there is a lake called
“Mosquito Lake” (Lake Myvatn). Frozen larvae found in iced-over lakes
hatch from the eggs when the ice melts as if they have not been frozen
in ice for months on end. Their development takes off from where it left
off and they develop into mature mosquitoes.
CHARACTERISTICS OF MOSQUITO EGGS
Female mosquitoes can lay from 40 to 200 eggs at a time
in water. There are some that lay their eggs once every three weeks and
others that lay once a year. The mosquito eggs have different
characteristics according to where the species lives, the enemies in
that environment or dangers that may be encountered. Some are very
carefully packaged, some are packed tightly into a space, and some are
supported with air pillows to prevent them from sinking.
Camouflage expert eggs
Once the eggs leave the mother’s side they are left
totally defenceless. At first, because of their bright yellow colour
they are motionless preys, easy to spot. A great number of enemies await
them.
But mosquito eggs have an important characteristic. The colour of the
eggs, which are laid at night, turns to black at first light. In this
way they are well camouflaged from insects and birds.
At the larval and pupal stages of some species of mosquito, such as the
anopheles, they are able to change colour to fit in with their
environment. So if the larva is put in a black or white environment, it
immediately takes on the colour of that environment.
Naturally neither the egg nor the larva, or even the mother mosquito
who has gone through these stages, has any knowledge of this colour
change. The mosquito larvae have absolutely no idea that there are
enemies around them, that the mother has left them and that they are
alone and defenceless. But this situation doesn’t pose any problems for
them, because they have been created with the most suitable form of
defence, as well as their other needs being met. The pigments in the
outer layer of the eggs or larvae are activated by sunlight and
camouflage themselves by growing darker.
The changing of colour to merge with the environment by the effect of
photons emitted by the Sun is a somewhat complex chemical process, and
the knowledge of this system is already installed in the cells of the
egg shell. All the necessary chemical and physical processes for this
effective form of defence are realised without exception in all mosquito
larvae. All these facts lead us to only one conclusion: The creator of
this finely planned process to protect the larvae in case of need has
superior power. This power belongs to God, the Creator of all things.
This is set forth as follows in a verse of the Qur’an:
That is God, your Lord. There is no deity but Him, the
Creator of everything. So worship Him. He is responsible for everything.
(Qur’an, 6:102)
Unsinkable eggs
The underside of the egg of the Culex mosquito has a
funnel-shaped hollow. The purpose of this hollow may not be obvious at
first sight, but in further stages of the egg’s development it emerges
that it has a vital function. Thanks to the air filling the hollow it
acts as a life buoy and keeps the eggs afloat.
However, the hollow can lead to serious problems for the egg. The
hollow located under the egg, which can be termed a “life buoy,” can
easily be rendered useless if the egg “capsizes.” For this reason a
single egg laid on the water cannot float for long. If its balance is
disturbed by the slightest rocking motion, it will overturn and the
air-filled hollow will fill with water causing the egg to sink. However,
in order to survive, the eggs have to stay above water. What would you
do in this situation to stop the eggs sinking?
Mosquitoes solve this problem in an ingenious way by sticking the
eggs together. The eggs are stuck side by side into a disc shape and
form a natural floating raft. This disc, which is about 11 mm (0.43
inch) in diameter, can easily float on water. The hollows under the eggs
and the spaces between the eggs serve as an air pillow to keep the disc
afloat. If such a clever method were not employed, the eggs would sink
and die. However, the danger is averted right from the start and
security provided by this design detail.
So how is it that a mosquito can think about a problem and find the
most appropriate solution? Is it possible for the mosquito to know about
the buoyancy of water? Where does it get the knowledge of how to use
this force?
However impossible it may be, let’s suppose that the mosquito comes
up with the solution for itself by observing other eggs and thinking
about it at length. Even if that were the case, if there was no air
hollow under the egg from the time it was laid, the mosquito’s raft
would be useless.
What’s more, the mosquito is also created with an adhesive for sticking
the eggs together, which is not dissolved by water over time. If it were
not for this glue, there would be no meaning to the airspace under the
egg or the mosquito’s decision to make a raft.
Of course, there is also a reason for the raft made by the mosquito
being disc-shaped. The disc shape is the most suitable for a raft. If
the mosquito used another geometric shape, for example, a long, narrow
rectangle, the raft could easily capsize. But the disc-shape best
protects the raft from capsizing if the water is rippled.
It is not possible to claim that the details, which together make up
such a harmonious system, could have evolved of their own accord over
time. Furthermore, if one of these details were missing, it would not be
possible to go back over the whole system again and it would be
destroyed. The mosquito makes a raft which it cannot develop by means of
“trial and error” and which certainly could not have been produced as a
result of coincidence. Thus the sole explanation for this system is
that this creature, which makes a raft just a few weeks at most after
hatching from the egg, is endowed with the necessary knowledge and
constitution for this task and has been “programmed” for it.
T he mother mosquito binds the eggs together into a raft shape. This is the best solution for preventing the eggs from sinking.
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It is quite a painstaking task to stick eggs together
one by one and make a raft. And since these eggs will split open in the
next season, the mosquito will die without seeing the result of its
labour. After laying the eggs it has no further ties with the eggs. The
mosquito, which will shortly die, goes to great lengths at no personal
gain to ensure the safety of its eggs after its death.
Something that is really worthy of note at this point is that the
mosquito has absolutely nothing to gain in spite of all its effort. The
laborious task it carries out has no effect on its own life. That is to
say, the mosquito doesn’t go to these lengths to stay alive, but to save
the next generation. It makes the most appropriate decision and does
all the necessary things to perfection to succeed in a difficult task to
save a generation it will never see, and will never know what
conditions it will develop under and what dangers it will face.
Those who defend evolutionary theory claim that creatures exist
because of coincidence, and suggest that there is a selfish struggle for
life in nature. If this claim were true, the mosquito could be expected
to take no interest in its young, to lay the eggs in any place and to
make no effort to defend them and supply other needs. But as we can see
from the information which has been provided so far, the mosquito does
not behave in this way and puts a lot of effort into a job whose results
it will never see.
Egg raft and hatching larvae. |
It is quite plain to see that there is no struggle for
life in the mosquito. The common-sense actions it takes are made under
the inspiration it is provided with. It is God Who gives this sense of
self-sacrifice to the mosquito. In the following verse of the Qur’an,
God explains how everything is submissive to Him:
Everyone in the heavens and on the Earth belongs to Him. All
are submissive to Him. It is He Who originated creation and then
regenerates it. That is very easy for Him. His is the most exalted
designation in the heavens and the Earth. He is the Almighty, the
All-Wise. (Qur’an, 30:26-27)
Gelatin-covered eggs
Over the last ten years, effective methods have been
developed for the preservation of foodstuffs. The most important of
these is packaging.
The variety of midge known as the Chironomidae (in the same order,
Diptera, as mosquitoes) uses this method to preserve its eggs.
The eggs are laid in a pile of gelatin-like substance, either in the
shape of a frame or a string. The gelatin mass protects the eggs from
being blown away, from drying up, from sudden changes in temperature and
from enemies. In addition, thanks to this substance the fly sticks the
eggs to plants or stones and thus also prevents the eggs from getting
lost in the water.
Life buoy eggs
Egg raft and hatching larvae. |
The eggs of the Anopheles mosquitoes, which
serve as vectors for malaria, have a special shape and structure to
prevent their sinking and enable them to stay on the surface of the
water. Little air chambers on the outside of the eggshell and floating
edges surrounding the egg keep it above water. The floating edges
increase the surface tension of the water and thanks to this tension the
egg does not sink.
Surface tension creates a force, which small creatures in particular
cannot pass through. However, this is not usually a bad thing as it
enables insects to walk on the water with ease. Thanks to support
structures found on the legs of some insects, such as little hairs or
oily secretions covering the feet, they are able to move much more
easily on the surface of water.
Eggs of the Anopheles.
The little air sacs around the eggs and structures that increase the
surface tension ensure that the eggs stay at the surface of the water.
If, for once, these structures that keep the eggs afloat failed to form,
all the eggs of the Anopheles would sink and die.
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The air chambers and floating edges on the eggs of the Anopheles make
great use of the physical law of surface tension. However, as has
already been mentioned, neither the larvae inside the eggs nor the
mother mosquito, who herself once hatched from one of these eggs, has
any knowledge of the surface tension or the structures on the eggs that
make use of it.
There is no possibility of such an attribute being acquired over time.
If this structure had failed to appear on the egg just once, all the Anopheles eggs would have sunk to the bottom of the water and the mosquito would have died out.
But such a situation never happens. For the
Anopheles mosquitoes,
like all other creatures, come to life complete with whatever they need
to continue their existence designed in the most appropriate way.
God has created the characteristics needed by each creature and has
inspired perfectly in each of them the tasks they will carry out. God
has power over all things. The duty that befalls man is to reflect on
the perfection of His creation and to deliver himself to His eternal
might. God tells us in a verse of the Qur’an that there is no other
deity:
Say: “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the Earth?” Say:
“God.” Say: “So why have you taken protectors apart from Him who possess
no power to help or harm even themselves?” Say: “Are the blind and
seeing equal? Or are darkness and light the same? Or have they assigned
partners to God who create as He creates, so that all creating seems the
same to them?” Say: “God is the Creator of all things. He is the One,
Who conquers all.” (Qur’an, 13:16)
Bamboo mosquitoes
Some mosqutio species lay their eggs in bamboo stems, which provide for
the larvae a safe environment that also meets their other needs.
Like other mosquitoes, these mosquitoes have a unique method of egg
laying. The mosquito sticks its rear legs through the holes of bamboo
stems into the water left inside and thus assures itself that the eggs
will drop into water, where they will continue their development.
When the first rain falls the eggs go into the incubation phase.
Within 2-3 days of the eggs being laid, the incubation phase comes to an
end and the grubs start to hatch. The grubs inside the eggs mature and
hatch at practically the same moment. Within a minute all the grubs
start wandering around in the water. They move around non-stop, eating
virtually anything they come across and grow at an incredible rate.
Was it the ancestors of these species of mosquito that concluded from
their observations that the most secure place for their young was
bamboo stems and then decided that all descendants should use the same
method? Was this order then passed on from generation to generation to
every new female?
As we have seen, such questions inevitably confront us at every
stage. The answers to these questions lead every person with a
conscience to one point: the fact of creation. In a little water
collected in some bamboo stem in some part of the world or other, there
is a life form that we do not know about, that we have not even thought
about, and this life form has been created in a perfect manner. This
perfect creation encompasses the entire universe.
God points out in a verse of the Qur’an the importance of thinking about His creations:
… And the water which God sends down from the sky-by which He
brings the Earth to life when it was dead and scatters about on it
creatures of every kind-and the varying directions of the winds, and the
clouds subservient between heaven and earth, there are signs for people
who use their intellect. (Qur’an, 2:164)
And in your creation and all the creatures He has spread about far and near there are signs for true believers. (Qur’an, 45:4)
CHANGE IN THE APPEARANCE OF THE EGGS: THE LARVAL PHASE
The young mosquito newly emerged from the egg bears no resemblance to
the mature state. It is as though it is a completely different creature.
The body of the larva is approximately 1-1.5 mm (0.04-0.05 inch) in
length and is divided into 3 sections consisting of the head, the thorax
and the abdomen. The head is oval-shaped with eyes on either side that
meet in the middle, with a short antenna above each eye. But the larva
has to go through a long and difficult journey before it turns into a
mature mosquito.
The larvae live underwater. Because they eat constantly, they enlarge
6-7 times in the space of a week. This is the only time in the
mosquito’s life cycle that it grows. The larva is just hungry, eats and
gets bigger.
How does the larva feed in the water?
In
this phase in order to breathe the larva has to remain suspended over
the water without drowning. But there is a problem: How can a mosquito,
which constantly needs to feed, get food when it is constantly suspended
above water? A special method has to be found for this, but the
creature in question is only a larva, with no capacity to think or
develop a method.
If necessity dictates, the larva can dive into the water, but only
for a short time because it has to come up to the surface to breathe.
For this reason, it is impossible to feed by diving in this way.
A very important mechanism present in the larva allows it to eat
head-down in the water. Thanks to this mechanism, the larva, which
cannot go after its prey, agitates the water and brings prey to its
mouth. It creates a current in the water by the rapid shaking of the 4
sets of fine-haired brushes on either side of its mouth. Bacteria found
in the water are thus guided into the larva’s mouth by the motion of the
water. The larva also eats the bacteria that get stuck in these
brushes. A mosquito larva can sieve about 100-1,000 cc of water a day by
this method.
As we have seen, there is an evident design in the larva: the brushes
around its mouth are special feeding tools. Thanks to this system the
larva can reach its prey without drowning. In His boundless compassion,
Almighty God manifests Himself as the Provider (al-Razzaq) of all
Creation, and protects the mosquito larvae. God has indeed created all
creatures to perfection. And every living creature is provided for by
God:
How many creatures cannot fend for themselves! God provides
for them as He provides for you. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
(Qur’an, 29:60)
Breathing head-down
In a little pool of water there may be hundreds, even thousands of mosquito larvae. |
One of the basic needs of the constantly feeding larva
is breathing. But how is it that the larva is able not only to breathe
but also eat while it is suspended upside-down?
Human beings make use of various special devices for breathing
underwater (oxygen cylinders, snorkels, air pumps, etc.). Mosquito
larvae, on the other hand, are naturally equipped with diving equipment
similar to these. When they are head-down in the water, they breathe
through respiratory tubes located on their hind bodies. Some larvae stay
parallel to the water and use three respiration holes on the stomach.
These systems resemble the snorkels and air pumps used by divers.
These features may seem like mere biological details to us, but
actually they reveal an important fact. If such an intelligent design
exists, there must be a Creator with a superior intelligence. This
Supreme Creator, the Lord of the universe, is God, the judge, the
educator and the planner of all the worlds from the smallest to the
greatest.
God
shows evidence of His existence to us by making His art manifest in all
the life forms He has created. This art is plain to see everywhere,
from the complex structure of the human brain to the infinity of space,
from the digestive system of the mosquito to the perfection of the human
body and microscopic creatures. In the 40th verse of Surah Fatir in the
Qur’an, God says the following:
Say: “Have you thought about your partner deities, those you
call upon besides God? Show me what they have created of the Earth; or
do they have a partnership in the heavens?” Have We given them a Book
whose Clear Signs they follow? No indeed! The wrongdoers promise each
other nothing but delusion. (Qur’an, 35:40)
What if water gets into the snorkel?
Thanks to snorkel-like organs, the mosquito larvae can carry on their
lives in the water with ease. However, there is a danger inherent in
breathing through a snorkel. Waves forming on the water or the effect of
wind can result in water getting into the snorkel and therefore the
mosquito drowning.
However, thanks to an important preventative measure, the mosquito is
protected from being harmed by this potential danger. The end of the
snorkel that comes into contact with the air is covered with a special
kind of oil. This oil has a water repellent (hydrophobic) property. When
the larva is suspended head-down in the water, the oil prevents water
getting through the hole of the respiratory tube.
This secretion is specially created for water. When the larva is put
into a fluid other than water, for example petroleum, the secretion
fails to function. Petroleum gets into the snorkel and causes the larva
to drown.
The fact that the tip of the respiratory tube of a 10 mm (0.4 inch)
larva is just a few millimetres in length is not something that can be
passed over lightly. Let’s point out the details:
-there is a special precautionary measure to eliminate the risk of water getting into the snorkel,
-the secretion is produced exactly where it is needed, i.e. by the cells at the tip of the air tube,
-this oily secretion is produced in every new generation…
Can these factors be explained by coincidence? Of course not, because
coincidence causes confusion. Millions of coincidences happening one
after another would mean chaos. Systems and mechanisms consisting of
independent parts working in unison for a common aim are not the product
of chaos but of intelligent design.
Evolutionary theory makes the assertion that living things have
evolved over time from a simpler form to their present state. According
to this theory, this development occurs as a result of a chain of
coincidental changes.
However much you try to dress this up as “scientific,” using Latin
names and complex terminology, the essential logic of evolutionary
theory can be expressed in a single word: “Coincidence.”
Now let’s have a look at the claims evolutionary theory makes about
how the special structure enabling mosquitoes to breathe was formed.
According to evolutionary theory, thousands of years ago mosquitoes
must have had a simpler structure. In this imaginary scenario, let’s
suppose that the respiratory tubes of the mosquitoes of the time had not
yet developed. So what about the mosquito larvae of the time?
1) The larva could not stay head-down in the water, so they would
hold their heads above water in order to breathe. The inevitable
conclusion of this would be, of course, that all the larvae die of
hunger.
Thanks to a special kind of hydrophobic oil found at the tip of
the snorkel, no water can get in, as the oil is water-repellent. The
fact that such a special substance for such a specific function is found
in exactly the right place is a point for which evolutionary theory can
provide no explanation.
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2) Let’s suppose that a respiratory tube is appended to
the body of the larva by chance (we will discuss the impossibility of
this later), the larvae would drown due to the absence of oil at the tip
of the tube to prevent water getting into it. The larva would not even
have a second to wait for the cells, which synthesise this oil to form
in the body. As has been demonstrated, this state of affairs creates
inconsistencies in evolutionary theory itself.
3) Let’s suppose that the respiratory tube and the oil at the tip of
this tube somehow formed at the same time on the larva’s body. It would
only save the life of that particular larva, because the larva would not
be able to pass on a change in its body to the next generation (Just as
a woman who cuts off her finger does not give birth to a child with a
missing finger). Therefore, in order for a bodily change to be passed on
to the next generation, it is necessary for evolution to add the entire
genetic code to the DNA located in the creature’s reproductive cells,
rather than just creating a new organ or organelle.
This is a very important point. For this reason, let’s examine the
subject by means of another example. Let’s suppose that a new organ, for
example a liver, was appended to the body of a creature claimed by the
evolutionists to be one of the ancestors of man. The liver’s genetic
code consists of millions of ciphers. Every one of these ciphers has to
be added to the DNA in the reproductive cells of the creature for a
liver to emerge in the next generation. One single mistake in the
millions of ciphers would result in the liver not being formed, or not
being able to function and being harmful rather than beneficial to the
animal. The imaginary creature in question would not be able to survive
and would die out.
This brings us to another point. What would the creature in question
do until the liver formed in its body? Which organ would carry out the
vital functions performed by the liver? Obviously, it is illogical even
to think that such a creature may have existed. The first human being
came into the world perfectly formed, which means that he must have been
created.
In the same way, the mosquito also has to carry the characteristics
it possesses in the form of genetic coding in its DNA. Otherwise these
characteristics would not appear in the next generation. The genetic
coding of not only the respiratory tube but also of the oil produced by
the cells at the tip of this tube would have to be introduced
simultaneously, completely and faultlessly into the reproductive cells
of the imaginary creature supposed to be the ancestor of the mosquito,
which is an impossibility. This means once again that the mosquito came
into existence perfectly formed, i.e. it was created.
So how does the mosquito distribute the air it breathes throughout its body?
The air taken in by the mosquito fills two small sacs. These little
sacs are connected to capillary lines running along the body, which
carry the air to all body parts. Between the sacs is a heart, which is
appropriate for the needs of the mosquito. The heart pumps the sacs with
regular beats and enables air to be distributed throughout the body.
After the heart come the stomach and the intestines. The heart,
stomach and intestines also have to be perfect in shape. Along with the
respiratory system, these organs are essential for the mosquito to
survive. The mosquito has to exist as an integral whole; it is not
possible for the features it possesses to be acquired over a period of
time.
Moreover, these features show variety in each species of mosquito.
For example, the larva of the Mansonia variety does not come up to the
surface to breathe. Instead it uses a clever but somewhat difficult
method.
Larva that breathes without coming up to the surface of the water
Oxygen found in water is dissolved in the water and utilised by all the
creatures living in it, both fauna and flora. This oxygen accumulates in
the roots and tissues of plants. The larvae of the mosquito
Mansonia
make use of this oxygen “packaged” in plants. The larva has a saw-like
organ for boring into the roots and tissue of plants to draw out their
oxygen content. By means of this it can comfortably meet its oxygen
requirements and remain permanently below water.
Here, again, there is obvious evidence of a design. The structure of the
Mansonia
larva, which does not come up to the surface of the water, contains
everything that is required for piercing the roots and extracting the
air they contain.
What is more, the larva is aware of why it has been given this “tool”
as part of its body. But the larva’s knowledge is not just confined to
this. The larva also knows somehow that it needs oxygen and that the
oxygen is to be found in the roots of plants. Naturally, the fact that a
larva only 1.5 mm (0.5 inch) in length, that has only just come into
the world, has all this knowledge cannot be explained away by claiming
that it is coincidence.
Close enemy
It would not be accurate to describe all mosquito larvae
as calm creatures that swim around in the water minding their own
business making do with bacteria for food. Larvae of some species are
somewhat predatory. Feeding continuously at this stage, they may eat one
another when they are unable to find food. For this reason, the best
kind of water for the larva’s welfare is not clean water but dirty water
full of bacteria. When in clean water, only a few larvae may survive
out of the hatchlings from the raft-like group of eggs.
However, the mother mosquito is perfectly aware of this and is more
likely to lay her eggs in dirty water, where approximately 100 larvae
will emerge safe and sound from the egg-raft.
It is worth pointing out at this stage that the mother’s actions are
also based on a conscious decision. When a mosquito comes across two
sources of water, one of which is clean and the other dirty, her
decision leans towards the dirty water.
Now, does the mosquito take these measures to ensure survival of the
species based on thought or observation? Of course there is no question
of the mosquito gaining experience on the basis of which it makes
decisions and passing on this experience to future generations.
How to deal with a current
In
places where there is a current, in order to survive, the growing
larvae have to find something to hold on to. They easily shrug off this
problem by using the support system on their bodies.
Some species of larva found in very fast flowing water have a long
propeller attached to their bodies at a 45-degree angle. By means of
small chitin hooks located at the tip of this propeller, the larva is
able to keep a grip and protect itself from the current.
Mosquito house
Some mosquito larvae are born architects. These larvae,
which do not have suckers with which to attach themselves to surfaces,
build themselves houses to protect themselves from both enemies and the
current. This is an interesting and surprising job, for each stage is
full of difficulties.
First of all, the newly hatched larva has to feel the need for a
house to provide security and protect it from the current, and with this
in mind, to decide to build a house.
In the second phase, the larva has to make a plan. But a problem
arises: The larva has no technical equipment or organ to use as a tool
such as a beak, claws, paws, etc. Moreover, there are not many suitable
materials to be found underwater for constructing a house.
However, the larva, whose every need is thought out in advance,
already has the materials necessary for house building. It secretes a
gelatine-like substance, which can easily be shaped. The larva, using
this material to the best advantage in a way most suited to its own
needs, makes a nest resembling a tube, which is open on both sides. It
buries this tube in the mud or the sand or carries it around.
What is worth pointing out here is that the larva starts to build a
house to protect itself as soon as it hatches from the egg, and it
already has the necessary materials in its body, in a ready-to-use form.
Obviously some kind of training, and hence a certain knowledge of
chemistry, is necessary to produce a substance that can easily be shaped
underwater but which remains effective in water. As the larva is not a
chemist, it is not possible for it to produce the secretion using its
own intelligence and knowledge. It is completely senseless and illogical
to consider such a possibility. Even if, in spite of the impossibility
of the situation, we suppose that the larva has used its own skill and
intelligence to produce such a substance, it is not feasible to think
that it has installed the system producing the secretion in its own
body. It is also obvious that it can’t build such a nest and bury itself
in the sand of its own accord.
Even if a larva acquires these characteristics, whether by chance or
by experience, it cannot pass on its acquired knowledge to the next
generation. If a living thing has innate knowledge, and if it uses this
knowledge to best advantage and naturally possesses all the facilities
and equipment to make use of this knowledge, this can only mean one
thing: All these things are achieved under the control of a superior
intelligence, and are created together with this creature. The superior
intelligence that gives this knowledge and attributes to the creature,
that brings everything into existence, is our Lord. It is expressed as
follows in a verse of the Qur’an:
… Not even the smallest speck eludes your Lord, either on
Earth or in heaven. Nor is there anything smaller than that, or larger,
which is not recorded in a Glorious Book. (Qur’an, 10:61)
What happens in the water under the sun for hours?
Up to now we have talked about how mosquitoes spend the entire larval
and pupal phase in water, either on the surface or in places close to
the surface. Over time this would have a negative effect on the larvae.
However, the larvae are not in the least affected by sunlight, because
any problems that could occur are solved right from the start, thanks to
a pigment found in the body of the mosquito.
This pigment sheath consists of a network of cells resembling
urocytes almost completely filled with uric acid granules. The uric acid
acts as a sunscreen for the transparent larvae and pupae, and
accordingly the mosquito is able to stay in the sun without getting
burnt.
All the characteristics of mosquitoes serve as evidence of creation.
To see this evident fact once again, let’s think of it this way: Even if
just this shield were to be removed from the mosquito’s body, all the
other attributes would become meaningless and the larva would burn to
death in the sun.
All the examples given up to now point to one reality: God, Who
creates all the characteristics that make up the mosquito, has
incomparable power and knowledge. There is no other deity. God informs
us as follows in a verse of the Qur’an that no partner should be
associated with Him:
Or have they taken other deities besides Him? Say: “Produce
your proof! This is the message of those with me and the message of
those before me.” But most of them do not know the truth, so they turn
away. (Qur’an, 21:24)
A BIG CHANGE: THE PUPAL STAGE
In the majority of mosquitoes the larval phase lasts up
to one week. The duration of this phase mainly depends on temperature,
although feeding is also an indirect factor.
The larva grows constantly, and in a short time its skin starts to
restrict its growth. This means the time has come for the first skin to
be shed.
The transformation begins
At the end of the larval stage an entirely new underwater phase
begins for the mosquito. This stage, known as the pupa, is the final
stage before the creature becomes an adult mosquito.
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The fast-growing larva feels the need for a sharp tool
to cut open its tough skin. At this stage it is impossible for the pupa
to enlist any kind of assistance. It has to solve this problem by
itself.
Up until now, the larva has easily been able to find everything it
requires at each stage of its development. God, Who does everything to
perfection, has created the larva together with all the organs it needs
for specific purposes.
At the back of the larva’s head there is an organ used for breaking the
tough skin. This organ is discarded from the body as soon as the skin is
shed. If this organ failed to develop, or was late in developing, the
larva would be unable to cast off the skin and would suffocate to death.
The new skin, which is soft and flexible, allows the larva to
continue to grow. The mosquito larva will shed three more skins by the
time it completes its growth. It develops by shedding its skin 4 times
in all and finally becomes 10 mm (0.4 inch) in length.
The mosquito grubs have now entered the final phase before becoming
fully-fledged mosquitoes, the “pupal” phase. This is a very short phase
consisting of only a few days at the most, during which time the pupa
does not feed. The head of the mosquito, which is fused with the
thoracic section that will later carry the legs and feet of the
mosquito, is large and round. At this stage, the mosquito is like a
brand new creature, and its needs have also changed.
New body, new needs, new solutions…
In the transition phase from larva to pupa the
respiratory tubes close over. This means that the larva is left unable
to breathe. However, a surprising development occurs and two new
windpipes appear on the front of the pupa. Once more the mosquito
manages to stay alive due to a development programme specifically
designed for it. The larva starts breathing by elevating these two new
windpipes to the surface of the water.
The pupae stay close to the water surface in order to breathe.
Although they move very fast, they have no nutritional needs. The pupal
phase comes to an end in 3-4 days.
During the pupal stage, the wings and legs of the mosquito
become fully formed inside the cocoon floating in the water. It is
extremely important for the structures necessary for flying to be formed
perfectly underwater. The perfect formation of structures that enable a
creature to fly in a different environment whilst submerged in a cocoon
under the water is just one of the examples of supreme creation.
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Towards the end of the pupal phase the mosquito becomes
much darker in colour and the skin becomes more transparent. Within five
days, the pupa’s skin splits and the mature mosquito is ready to emerge
from the water. This moment is a show of astonishing expertise, for the
young mosquito leaves the floating pupa without touching the water. It
has to be able to do this, as it cannot fly if its wings get wet.
The wings and legs have already completed their development during
the pupal phase and are ready waiting inside the pupa till the time for
their use.
The mosquito overcomes difficulties
Just before emerging from the cocoon, the pupa takes a
breath and expands. This expansion causes the cocoon to split, starting
from the head. This is an important detail, because if the splitting
started from the bottom rather than the top, the mosquito would not come
to the surface of the water and would drown.
At this stage, the mosquito preparing to emerge faces great danger.
If water got into the splitting cocoon, it would mean the end of the
mosquito. However, the necessary precautions have already been taken to
prevent this danger. The head of the splitting cocoon is covered with a
sticky substance that prevents the head of the mosquito from coming into
contact with the water. This fluid, in common with the fluid already
used by the animal in the “snorkel,” is water-repellent. If it were not
for this special liquid in the head region, the splitting cocoon would
fill with water. The mosquito’s wings and body would get wet and it
would sink together with the cocoon.
That’s not the only danger the mosquito faces when emerging from the
cocoon; new difficulties await it. Let’s give some thought to the
situation of the mosquito as it attempts to extract itself from the
tight-fitting cocoon enclosing it: If it loses its balance, the cocoon
may turn upside down. The mosquito may come into contact with the water
as it emerges and get wet. Both possibilities would mean death by
drowning for the mosquito.
The pupa continues to breathe. As the lightest breeze may cause it to
get wet and consequently die, the mosquito chooses a moment when the
wind drops to come out of the pupa. Then it slowly puts its head and
front feet out of the cocoon. Resting its front feet on the surface of
the water, it pulls the rest of its body out of the cocoon floating in
the water. At this point, it is easy to see how the mosquito was created
with perfectly designed feet. On the mosquito’s feet there is a special
structure to prevent them sinking in the water.
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The mosquito emerges from its underwater world with everything it needs for the outside world:
-Its wings are formed underwater.
-The special blood-sucking mechanism is formed underwater.
-The special fluid that prevents the blood clotting and numbs the tissue of the victim is formed underwater.
-The special receptive system that detects the location of prey is formed underwater.
-The superb perceptive skill that is even able to differentiate the frequency of the female’s wing beat is formed underwater.
-Vision is also developed underwater.
The perfectly created mosquito leaves the water and sets foot in the
outside world, as if coming from a state of non-existence into our
world. It is God Who knows every form of creation and creates in
perfection.
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If there were no such feature on the mosquito’s feet, the animal would drown in the cocoon before emerging on to the water.
After extracting itself from the cocoon, the mosquito rests for a while on the water and then flies off.
Of course there are other aspects of this miraculous transformation that should be given due consideration:
- The larva living in the water has no way of knowing what flying is.
Yet the wings it needs to fly have developed perfectly while it is
still in the water.
- It would mean the end of the mosquito if the development of the
wings enabling it to fly and the formation of the feet enabling it to
stay on the surface of the water were not completed while it was still
in the water. The mosquito would drown as soon as it emerged from the
pupa. However, everything is ready on time.
When we think about all the stages the mosquito goes through, from
being laid as an egg in water until the time of flight, we can see that
this in itself is a miracle of creation. There are hundreds of danger
ous turning points that the mosquito passes through until it comes into
the outside world. Thanks to the fine balance and timing inherent in
each of these, the mosquito passes through the critical points and its
life commences as a mature mosquito.
As we have seen, there is a flawless and extremely detailed design at
work in the mosquito. Therefore even a mosquito is an important
evidence of the magnificence of God’s creation. God makes us aware of
this reality in a verse of the Qur’an: “
God is not ashamed to make an example of a mosquito…”
(Qur’an, 2:26). As is the case with every living or non-living form of
existence in the universe, this little creature is also a manifestation
of the signs of our Lord.
As
the rainy season approaches, there is a surge of activity in the
dried-up ponds. These are ideal breeding places for the mosquitoes. At
the bottom of ponds and in every hollow that is likely to fill up with
water, mosquitoes can be seen on the move, but they are walking around
rather than flying, as though intent on finding something.
Let’s
give some thought to how a creature such as the mosquito can carry out
the task of measuring the moisture content and temperature of the
ground.
A
creature 10 mm (0.4 inch) in length is making a conscious
investigation. Its aim is to find an environment for its eggs which will
meet the needs of the hatching young. The first thing we need to think
about is how the mosquito knows what requirements its eggs have.
But
how did the mosquito come to acquire such an organ? Did the mosquito
decide to fix a kind of “detector” to its body as a result of its
observations and trials on the needs of its young? And then on the basis
of this decision, did it make some changes to its own body? Or was it
part of the imaginary “evolutionary process” that one day quite by
chance an organ, which again by chance is capable of measuring heat and
moisture, was appended to the body of the first mosquito to appear on
the scene?
Leaving
behind its watery world and setting forth in a new world, the mosquito
is now an entirely different creature. The new body of this creature is
full of countless miracles, as in the previous stages of development. On
close examination of the mosquito’s body, the signs of a very special
creation are evident in every detail. Now let’s get acquainted with
these miracles by dealing with the mosquito’s structure section by
section.
However,
here a serious problem awaits the mosquito. As soon as a mosquito
bites, a kind of defence system goes into operation in the human body.
An enzyme that prevents microbes from entering the body and stops the
bleeding is secreted in the region of the wound. This enzyme enables the
blood to clot. Once the blood starts clotting it is impossible for the
mosquito to drink any blood. (Coagulation is caused by the
transformation of fibrinogen, one of the plasma proteins, into fibrin.)
In light of this information one can’t help asking these questions:
How does the mosquito know that blood coagulates?
How
has it learnt that cutting into the living tissue of its victim causes
pain and how has it developed a numbing technique to get round this
problem?
Giving
a local anaesthetic before an operation is a technique that has been
developed with the help of medical knowledge. How has the mosquito
acquired this knowledge?
Since it is extremely difficult to synthesise this fluid even under laboratory conditions, how has the mosquito acquired it?
Is
it pure coincidence that this fluid is to be found exactly where it is
most needed in the cutting knives that will rupture the skin?
How
can it be explained that there is an excellent mechanism in a tube that
is 0.1 cm (0.03 inch) in length with a radius of approximately 0.01 cm
(0.003 inch) found in a creature no more than a centimetre long, and
that every mosquito without exception has always had such a system and
knowledge?
It
is revealed in the Qur’an that our Lord is the “Lord of the worlds.”
“World” is used in the plural sense to mean “different worlds, different
dimensions or different orders and systems.” The word “Lord”
encompasses meanings such as “educator, rearer, organizer, law-giver,
master.” The incredibly difficult “operation” that the mosquito carries
out in the human body is a small world within it. The author of the
superior “design” in this world, the details of which we are unaware and
are only just beginning to discover by means of science, is our Lord,
God.
The
wings of the mosquito beat approximately 500 times a second. This is
why the sound is perceived by the human ear as a buzzing sound. This
rate, which seems like a physical impossibility to us, has been
established as a result of very sensitive measurements and is a truly
astonishing figure.